%    I1ST0K 


%>  HISTORY 

Pari  Qidge 

1841  "i<u6 


Copyright    1926 

by 

PARK  RIDGE  COMMUNITY  CHURCH  CIRCLE 


Printed  by 
EDISON  PRESS 

DDISON    PARK 
CHICAGO 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


http://archive.org/details/historyofparkridOOpark 


CONTENTS 

Our  "Thank  You" 7 

Preface   9 

History  of  Park  Ridge 1 1 

Beginning  of  Park  Ridge 18 

Brickton 17 

Do  You  Remember  Way  Back  When 20 

The  Post  Office 2 1 

Indian  Cemetery  22 

The  Old  Dutch  Mill 25 

School  Boy  Pranks 26 

The  Garden  Club 32 

Social  Life  29 

St.  Andrew's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church 35 

Kindergarten    39 

Park  Ridge  School  for  Girls 40 

Public  School  4 1 

History  of  Park  Ridge  Library 45 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Park  Ridge 47 

The  Park  Ridge  Country  Club 57 

Do  You  Remember  'Way  Back  When 64 

The  Park  Ridge  State  Bank 67 

History  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Park  Ridge 71 

Serious  and  Frivolous  Facts 79 

Hodge's  Park  80 

St.  Luke's  English  Lutheran  Church 83 

Baseball  —  "Doc"  Wintersteen  86 

Serious  and  Frivolous  Facts 86 

Chief  of  Police  —  Chas.  Duwell 87 

Art  and  Artists 102 

Park  Ridge  Woman's  Club 88 

The  Park  Ridge  Improvement  Club 88 

Other  Organizations  in  Park  Ridge 88 

Community   Church  .. 9 1 

Serious  and  Frivolous  Facts 103 

Do  You  Remember  'Way  Back  When.... 103 

Electric  Hall 104 

St.  Mary's  Episcopal  Church. 107 

Serious  and  Frivolous  Facts 112 

Park  Ridge  Cadets ^ 113 

Park  Ridge  114 


m 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Mrs.  Wannenwetch  and  Mrs.  Whitcomb 15 

First  Train  1 5 

Station 16 

Main  Street 16 

Indian  Chief  Robinson  Monument : 23 

Old  Dutch  Mill 24 

Uncle  Sam  Cummings 27 

Autograph    28 

Mrs.  S.  H.  Holbrook 33 

St.  Andrew's  German  Lutheran  Church 34 

St.  Andrew's  Parochial  School 34 

Public  School  : 43 

Maine  High  School  43 

Library 44 

Johnston's  Circle 44 

Old  Methodist-Episcopal  Church 55 

New  Methodist-Episcopal  Church 55 

Park  Ridge  Country  Club  56 

Park  Ridge  State  Bank  65-66 

Mrs.  Amalie  Maas 69 

St.  Paul  of  the  Cross  Catholic  Church 75 

School  75 

The  First  Church  of  Christ-Scientist 76 

Hodge's  Park 81 

Campfire  Girls'  Fountain 81 

Rev.   Walter  Spangler 82 

St.  Luke's  English  Lutheran  Church ; : 82 

Community  House  89 

Dr.  Jordan  _ 90 

Community  Church 90 

Electric  Hall _■. 105 

St.  Mary's  Church 106 

St.  Mary's  Mission   : 106 

Why  We  Come  to  Park  Ridge  to  Live 115 


[6] 


OUR  kTHANK  YOU" 

It  is  the  wish  of  the  Committee  appointed  by 
the  Park  Ridge  Community  Church  Circle  to 
express  their  sincere  appreciation  to  all  who 
have  so  kindly  assisted  us  in  gathering  the  data 
necessary  to  compile  this  history. 

Helen  Inskeep  Tower. 


[7] 


PREFACE 

It  is  no  easy  task  to  make  a  satisfying  selection  of  what 
might  be  interesting  history  of  Park  Ridge  and  reminiscences 
of  its  pioneers,  but  Mrs.  R.  C.  Tower  and  her  committee  have 
made  every  effort  in  their  selection  and  were  guided  by  a 
desire  to  cover  many  subjects  and  experiences. 

Some  of  the  stories  may  be  new,  others  well  known  to 
our  readers,  some  we  have  found  it  necessary  to  rewrite,  but 
we  think  you  will  find  that  the  original  story  in  each  case 
remains. 

Elizabeth  Wuster  Dinse,  Pres., 

Park  Ridge  Community  Church  Circle. 


[9] 


THE  HISTORY  OF  PARK  RIDGE 
October,  1926 

In  these  days  of  distinct  county  and  township  lines,  of 
accurate  surveys  and  well  defined  lots,  it  is  hard  to  visualize 
our  section  of  the  state  as  it  was  in  1835 — as  described  in  an 
old  paper: 

"At  the  time  the  Indians  left  this  region  Maine  Township 
presented  a  most  attractive  and  beautiful  appearance.  The 
winding  course  of  the  river  (Des  Plaines)  running  through 
groves  of  oak,  sugar  maple,  hackberry,  elm  and  hickory;  fes' 
toons  of  wild  grape  vine  or  cables  of  the  beautiful  bittersweet; 
shrubbery  here  and  there  jutting  out  into  the  fertile  prairie 
or  following  for  short  distances  some  of  the  many  little  creeks 
that  flowed  into  the  river  from  the  west;  stretching  on  either 
side  for  several  miles  were  the  undulating  plains  covered  with 
luxuriant  vegetation,  the  home  of  countless  flocks  of  wild  game, 
all  conspiring  to  make  a  scene  of  surpassing  beauty  ? 

1832  was  a  notable  date  for  this  part  of  the  country,  as 
it  was  the  date  that  the  Chicago  treaty  with  the  Indians  was 
made. 

Treaty  after  treaty  had  been  made  up  to  this  time, 
but  this  treaty  of  Chicago  in  1832  completely  extinguished  the 
Indians"  title  to  any  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi  river. 

The  last  Pottawatomi  war  dance  was  in  August,  1835, 
in  Chicago,  whither  the  Indians  had  gathered  to  receive  their 
final  payment  from  the  government. 


[ii] 


It  was  after  this  that  pioneers  came  from  New  England 
and  New  York  state  with  their  families,  feeling  some  degree 
of  safety  for  their  loved  ones  and  hoping  in  a  new  country  to 
better  their  conditions  which  they  felt  to  be  cramped,  in 
the  more  thickly  settled  east.  From  over  the  ocean,  too,  came 
settlers  from  England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  Wales  and  Germany. 
Sturdy  men  and  women  inspired  with  the  hope  that  they 
could  make  a  better  home  here  in  the  fair  prairies  of  the  west 
than  the  one  they  had  left  behind  them.  They  found  many 
difficulties  to  overcome,  many  trials  to  endure;  but  with 
stout  hearts  and  willing  hands,  they  conquered  the  wilderness 
and  became  comfortable  and  prosperous.  These  early  pioneers 
have  passed  away  but  many  of  their  descendants  are  here, 
worthy  and  respected  citizens  of  our  community. 

The  first  house  known  to  have  been  built  on  the  site  of 
the  present  Park  Ridge  was  put  up  about  1840  by  two  men 
named  Warner  and  Stevens,  who  took  up  a  claim  here  from 
the  Government  and  built  their  house  on  the  spot  now  occu- 
pied by  the  Masonic  Temple.  This  was  on  Rand  Road,  -a 
newly  opened  road  from  Chicago  to  Rand,  afterwards  called 
Des  Plaines,  and  was  the  only  road  at  that  time.  It  is  now 
the  Northwest  highway.  It  was  in  this  first  house  that 
Ellen  Haskins  (Mrs.  A.  J.  Whitcomb)  came  to  live,  with  her 
parents. 

About  1845  Mancel  Talcott,  Jr.,  bought  160  acres  of 
land  from  the  Government  and  built  a  house,  a  story  and. a 
half  cottage  on  the  corner  now  occupied  by  the  Park  Ridge 
State  Bank.  The  original  house  is  embodied  as  part  of  the 
structure  owned  and  occupied  by  Mrs.  Wannenwetsch,  which 
originally  stood  on  the  corner  but  has  been  moved  back  on 
the  lot.  The  original  cottage  is  built  around  so  that  none  of 
it  is  visible. 

Mrs.  Wannenwetsch  was  born  in  Park  Ridge  and  has 
lived  here  most  of  her  life. 


[12] 


The  first  brick  house  was  built  by  Geo.  W.  Penny  on 
the  site  of  the  frame  house  built  by  Warner  and  Stevens  and 
occupied  by  Ellen  Haskins.  This  brick  house  was  occupied 
for  many  years  by  Mr.  Penny  as  a  home.  Afterwards  it  was 
sold  and  passed  through  many  hands,  for  a  while  belonging 
to  Capt.  W.  P.  Black,  a  most  striking  character  in  our  town. 
This  house,  however,  burned  and  the  present  structure  was 
erected  by  Capt.  Black  but  occupied  by  Mr.  A.  C.  Becken, 
who  made  his  home  here  for  some  time.  At  his  death  the 
property  was  sold  to  the  Park  Ridge  Masonic  Building  Cor' 
poration,  and  it  has  recently  been  renovated  and  remodeled 
to  serve  as  the  Masonic  temple.  It  is  fitting  that  a  public 
institution  occupy  this  historic  site. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haskins  came  to  Park  Ridge  from  Ver 
mont  in  1843.  They  lived  in  the  first  cottage  built  in  Park 
Ridge  on  Rand  road  (Northwest  highway)  on  the  site  of  the 
new  Masonic  Temple. 

In  1856  Ellen  Haskins  was  married  to  A.  J.  Whitcomb. 
They  went  for  their  wedding  journey  to  Woodstock,  Illinois, 
on  the  first  passenger  train  to  run  that  far  on  the  Wisconsin 
division  of  the  Northwestern  railroad.  It  was  then  as  far 
as  the  train  went. 

Everyone  knew  Ellen  Whitcomb,  and  to  know  her  was 
to  love  her.  Her  hands  were  ever  busy  and  when  there  were 
no  urgent  demands  she  would  knit  or  crochet  some  present 
for  a  friend. 

She  celebrated  her  fiftieth  wedding  anniversary  in  1906 
at  Wannenwetsch  Hall.  A  host  of  friends  were  there  with 
their  congratulations.  Mr.  Whitcomb  was  a  builder  and  most 
of  the  homes  of  forty  years  ago  were  of  his  building. 


[HI 


Mr.  Whitcomb  has  passed  away,  but  Ellen  Whitcomb 
is  living,  and  although  eighty-six  years  of  age,  each  year  is  an 
added  grace  and  each  white  hair  a  halo.  She  lives  with  her 
sister,  Mrs.  Wannenwetsch. 

The  railroad  was  started  in  1852.  Mr.  Whitcomb 
hauled  ties  through  the  winter  of  that  year  for  the  new  road. 
It  was  known  then  as  the  Chicago,  St.  Paul  and  Fond  du  Lac 
R.  R.,  and  began  running  trains  about  1855.  Financial  dif- 
ficulties arose;  many  men  who  had  invested  their  savings  lost 
all  and  finally  the  road  was  reorgani^d  and  known  as  the 
Chicago  and  Northwestern. 


hi 


Mrs.    Wannenwetsch    and    Mrs. 

W/hitcomb    in    front    of    Com,' 

munity  House  ]uly,    1926 


The  First  Train  to  Serve  Par\  Ridge. 


[H] 


Chicago   and   Northwestern  R.    R.    Station   at   Par\   Ridge 
Many  'I  ears  Ago. 


'Main    Street"    (Prospect    Avenue)    Loo\ing    7\orth. 


16] 


This  station  was  built  in  1856  on  the  corner  of  Prospect 
avenue  by  Penny  and  Meachem,  the  brickmakers,  who  also 
maintained  it  for  ten  years  for  the  railroad,  in  return  for  which 
the  trains  stopped  on  signal.  Samuel  Edward  Cummings  was 
station  agent  at  this  time. 

BRICKTON 

In  1853  there  were  only  two  houses  here;  in  less  than 
seventyfive  years,  what  a  change!  Two  humble  homes  in  a 
vast  farming  community,  but  the  nucleus  of  a  thriving  town. 
1853  was  the  year  that  George  Penny  came  to  this  community 
looking  for  clay  which  would  make  good  red  brick. 

In  1854  Mr.  Penny  together  with  Robert  Meachem, 
opened  a  brickyard  and  commenced  the  business  of  making 
pressed  brick.  The  brickyard  was  located  at  Meachem  ave' 
nue  and  Elm  street  —  the  home  of  Mr.  Albert  Kraft  now 
occupies  this  site  and  the  clay  was  dug  from  Grand  boulevard. 

This  brick  was  of  excellent  quality  and  sold  for  from 
$18.00  to  $25.00  per  thousand  in  Chicago,  in  comparison  with 
the  much  higher  priced  Philadelphia  brick  which  was  $50.00 
to  $75.00  per  thousand.  The  bricks  were  all  hand  made  and 
for  several  years  the  output  was  5,000,000  a  year. 

With  the  coming  of  this  industry  a  town  grew  in  this 
vicinity  which  was  at  first  called  Pennyville  but  Mr.  Penny 
being  opposed  to  such  a  name,  it  was  changed  to  Brickton. 
In  1866  Mr.  Penny  retired  from  the  business  and  the  firm 
became  Meachem  and  Lock  wood. 


[17] 


This  community  was  known  as  Brickton  until  1873,  in 
which  year  steps  were  taken  to  organize  a  village,  which  was 
accomplished.  The  population  at  this  time  according  to  cen' 
sus  was  405.  Geo.  B.  Carpenter  was  elected  president;  the 
trustees  were  Augustus  Dickinson,  Joseph  Janes,  Loring  Ten' 
ant,  Chas.  Kobow  and  W.  S.  Chittenden;  and  Samuel  E.  Cum' 
mings  was  elected  clerk. 

BEGINNING  OF  PARK  RIDGE 

At  a  Fourth  of  July  meeting  the  name  of  Park  Ridge  was 
selected  out  of  the  many  suggested  for  the  new  village.  Brick' 
ton  was  not  considered  appropriate,  as  the  brick  industry  was 
practically  ended,  the  supply  of  clay  having  been  exhausted. 
The  name  "Brickton"  was  painted  on  a  large  balloon  and 
sent  in  the  air.  As  it  ascended  higher  and  higher  and  finally 
disappeared,  the  town  was  christened  Park  Ridge. 

At  this  time  there  was  no  sewerage  and  no  water  except 
from  wells,  but  that  was  very  fine.  There  were  a  few  side 
walks  and  those  were  planks  placed  end  to  end,  one  plank  in 
width,  except  on  the  most  traveled  streets  which  had  a  width 
of  two  planks  so  pedestrians  could  pass  without  having  to 
step  in  the  mud.  In  wet  weather  the  sidewalks  were  apt  to 
be  afloat,  the  streets  cart  tracks,  and  in  wet  weather  impassable. 

The  city  of  Park  Ridge  is  situated  at  the  beginning  of 
the  water  shed  of  the  Mississippi  and  St.  Lawrence  valleys. 
It  is  about  15  miles  northwest  of  Chicago.  It  is  supposed  to 
be  120  feet  above  Lake  Michigan  and  is  the  highest  part  of 
Cook  County. 


[18] 


It  is  accessible  by  train  from  Chicago  over  the  Chicago 
and  Northwestern  railroad  and  by  automobile  or  motor  bus 
over  the  Northwest  highway  which  connects  with  Milwaukee 
avenue  at  Jefferson  Park. 

Milwaukee  avenue  is  one  of  the  oldest  roads  about  Chi' 
cago,  being  an  old  Indian  trail,  and  there  is  evidence  of  a  road 
—  the  ancestor,  say  —  of  the  Northwest  highway  back  in 
1840.  It  was  called  Rand  then  and  has  been  known  by  vari' 
ous  names  down  the  years.  It  was  opened  up  in  its  present 
good  condition  the  latter  part  of  1922  and  is  a  fine  thorough' 
fare  from  Milwaukee  avenue  due  northwest  to  the  state  bound: 
ary  line  of  Wisocnsin. 

Since  this  good  road  has  been  completed  there  has  been 
much  development  in  the  property  between  Jefferson  Park 
and  Park  Ridge,  and  undoubtedly  some  of  the  recent  develop- 
ment of  Park  Ridge  is  due  indirectly  to  this  convenient  outlet. 

Park  Ridge  remained  a  village  from  the  time  of  its  incor' 
poration  in  1873  until  1910,  when  it  was  voted  to  change  to 
the  city  form  of  government  which  it  still  has.  Dr.  A.  J.  Buclv 
heit  was  elected  the  first  mayor  of  the  city  of  Park  Ridge. 


[19] 


DO  YOU  REMEMBER  WAY  BACK  WHEN 

Bob  and  Fred  Stagg  erected  a  toboggan  slide  on  the  south 
side  of  the  tracks,  charging  10  and  15  cents?  It  was  quite  an 
enterprising  business  in  season. 

The  electric  light  plant  was  in  Electric  Hall  (Fetter's 
Express  building);  the  lights  were  shut  off  at  midnight,  and 
if  you  were  out  later,  you  went  home  in  darkness?  Above 
the  electric  light  plant  was  the  hall,  used  for  all  large  social 
activities  at  this  time,  and  the  vibration  of  the  dynamo  added 
to  the  enjoyment  —  so  it  is  said. 

The  Kaleidoscope  Club  was  organised  for  the  purpose  of 
providing  the  interior  finishing  for  Community  Church?  Many 
were  the  good  times  had  in  doing  it. 

The  railroad  had  but  a  single  track  and  the  train  leaving 
Park  Ridge  at  6  A.  M.  returned  from  Chicago  at  4  P.  M.; 
the  train  leaving  at  9  A.  M.  returned  at  7  P.  M.?  That  was 
all,  just  four  trains  daily. 

When  our  city  park  had  a  small  white  fence  —  just  high 
enough  for  lovers  to  sit  on? 

When  the  only  known  delivery  wagon  was  operated  by 
the  two  Stagg  boys  —  ages  about  ten  —  delivery  charges  five 
and  ten  cents? 

When  we  carried  the  old-fashioned  barn  lantern  to  the 
church  socials? 

When  as  a  child  one  stood  on  the  depot  platform  and 
could  tell  the  names  of  each  person  alighting? 


[20] 


THE  POST  OFFICE 

The  first  post  office  in  Maine  Township  was  opened  in 
1837  on  the  west  side  of  the  Des  Plaines  river  on  what  is  now 
Center  street.  The  first  postmaster  was  Captain  Mancell  Tal- 
cott  and  mail  came  to  this  humble  postal  station  once  a  week. 
Captain  Talcott  came  from  New  York  in  1836  and  his  first 
commission  was  dated  January  24,  1837.  This  was  less  than 
six  years  after  the  Chicago  Post  Office  was  established.  This 
was  the  first  post  office  in  Cook  County  outside  of  Chicago 
and  was  calld  Chamblee.  Before  this,  the  citizens  of  the  com' 
munity  had  their  mail  addressed  to  Chicago  and  whenever 
neighbors  drove  into  the  city  they  got  the  mail  for  all  in  their 
vicinity. 

The  following  is  the  address  of  a  letter  written  from 
Detroit  by  Dr.  Meachem  to  his  wife  in  1837: 

MRS.  REBECCA  MEACHEM 

Desplains 

Chicago  P.  Office 

Illinois 

Across  the  letter  was  the  following.  Message:  "P.  mas' 
ter  Chicago  will  please  forward  this  by  any  of  my  neighbors 
and  oblige  his  friend,  S.  Meachem." 

Years  later  the  Park  Ridge  Post  Office  was  in  the  general 
store  of  Kobow  and  Brunst.  It  remained  there  for  some  time 
as  one  was  a  Republican  and  one  a  Democrat,  so,  whichever 
party  won  the  election,  the  post  office  was  the  same  and  folks 
had  a  hard  time  remembering  who  was  postmaster. 


[21] 


INDIAN  CEMETERY 

An  interesting  historical  spot  near  Park  Ridge  is  the 
Indian  Cemetery,  situated  on  the  East  River  road,  a  short  dis- 
tance off  of  Higgins  road.  Tourists  attention  is  called  to  it 
by  signs  placed  by  County  Commissioner  Cermak. 

In  this  cemetery  lies  the  remains  of  Alexander  Robinson, 
chief  of  the  Chippawa,  Pottawottomie  and  Ottawa  nations  of 
Indians,  who  departed  this  life  in  1872  at  the  age  of  110  years. 

He  befriended  the  white  settlers  at  the  time  of  the  mass- 
acre  of  Fort  Dearborn  and,  in  recognition  of  his  services,  he 
was  given  1 200  acres  of  land  by  the  state.  His  former  home  is 
west  of  the  cemetery  and  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  Regan, 
still  makes  her  home  there;  but  she  is  very  old  and  feeble  at 
the  present  writing.  Besides  the  old  chief,  his  wife  and  others 
of  his  family  lie  buried  close  by. 


m 


[22) 


{  23  ] 


Old  Dutch  Mill. 


[24] 


THE  OLD  DUTCH  MILL 

Another  interesting  and  picturesque  place  nearby  is  the 
old  Dutch  mill. 

It  can  be  seen  from  the  West  River  road  between  Higgins 
road  and  Irving  Park  boulevard.  It  is  on  a  small  road  branch- 
ing from  the  River  road.  The  material  for  this  mill  was 
imported  from  Holland  and  erected  on  the  farm.  Miss  Mary 
Perkins  remembers  her  father  taking  grist  to  this  mill  for  grind- 
ing. It  is  not  in  use  now  but  remains  a  quaint  figure  on  the 
landscape. 


m 


Mrs.  C.  E.  Stebbings  in  her  inimitable  way  says,  "no 
Charleston  stepper  today  could  surpass  Sandy  Chittenden 
when  he  snapped  into  the  Virginia  Reel  or  Money  Musk. 


[25] 


SCHOOL  BOY  PRANKS 

In  about  1882  or  1883  Albert  Stebbings,  Arthur  Tuns- 
berg,  John  Calif,  John  Cameron  and  Harold  Thompkins,  led  by 
Albert  Becker  one  Saturday  during  summer  vacation  decided 
to  go  in  swimming  in  the  clay  hole  on  Grand  boulevard.  They 
had  been  warned  not  to  swim  there  as  there  were  several 
houses  near  and  the  neighbors  were  complaining  of  the  small 
boys  sans  clothes  popping  about  in  the  clay  hole,  nevertheless 
after  the  manner  of  small  boys  the  world  over  they  thought 
they  would  chance  it.  Along  came  Mr.  Haussman  (for 
years  janitor  at  the  Park  Ridge  public  school) ,  caught  them  in 
a  compromising  state  of  attire  and  (he  must  have  had  help) 
tucked  them  all  in  the  "cooler"  for  the  night.  The  "cooler" 
or  town  jail  was  an  old  barn,  plus  some  iron  bars,  on  Elm 
street. 

You  can  imagine  the  consternation  in  these  homes  when 
Al  and  Johnny,  etc.,  didn't  return  from  the  store  and  all  the 
rest  of  the  small  boys  in  town  hastened  to  impart  the  bad  news. 
The  parents  all  decided  to  let  the  boys  see  it  through  and  the 
next  morning  six  chastened  little  boys  were  taken  before 
Judge  Sam  Cummings  at  the  "depot,"  fined  a  dollar  and 
costs,  which  they  had  to  work  out  for  their  fathers.  Most 
of  them  received  more  chastisement  at  home  and  at  school  a 
lecture  from  the  principal,  Mr.  Schroeder.  The  town  was 
quite  sure  they  would  end  in  Joliet,  but  so  far  none  of  them 
have  —  no  indeed,  fathers  of  families  and  solid  citizens. 


[26] 


"Uncle"  Sam  Cummings  and  his  horse,  for  years  a  familiar  sight 
about  Par\  Ridge. 


{  27  1 


r  28i 


SOCIAL  LIFE 
18601870 

There  were,  of  course,  no  country  clubs,  card  clubs  nor 
woman's  clubs  but  hospitality  was  one  of  the  cardinal  virtues. 
There  was  a  great  deal  more  visiting  then  than  now.  A 
wagon  load  of  folks  would  drive  up,  be  welcomed  heartily 
by  the  housemother  and  all  the  children.  Then  such  a  bustl' 
ing  about  the  kitchen  as  there  would  be,  and  such  a  bountiful 
supper  as  would  be  set  out!  The  women  visitors  would  help 
in  the  kitchen  in  the  meantime,  enjoying  a  pleasant  chat  about 
the  children,  the  chickens  and  how  much  the  last  hogs  weighed 
that  they  had  packed  down  for  the  winter,  and  maybe  a  spice 
of  gossip,  too.  The  men  went  to  the  barn  to  put  up  the  team 
and  compare  notes  with  the  farmer  on  the  state  of  the  crops, 
price  of  corn,  and  all  things  of  interest  to  them  in  their  daily 
life. 

After  a  bountiful  early  supper,  heartily  enjoyed  by  all, 
the  horses  would  be  put  to  the  wagon  and  amid  a  chorus  of 
"Good-bye"  and  "Come  again  soon,"  the  visitors  would  drive 
home  in  the  gathering  dusk. 

Then  the  dances  they  had!  For  miles  around  word  would 
go  out  that  the  Blanks  were  giving  a  party.  Everybody  would 
go.  The  mothers  wrapped  the  babies  up  warmly  and  all  piled 
into  the  sleigh  and  drove  over  the  snowy  roads.  When  they 
arrived  at  their  destination,  the  babies  were  fed  and  put  to  bed 
and  soon  were  fast  asleep,  for  they  were  all  good  babies  in 
those  days.  Then  the  mothers  were  free  for  the  dancing.  Such 
fun  as  they  had!  Their  costumes  were  not  designed  by  Worth 
and  they  did  not  have  cotillions  with  expensive  favors.  They 
did  have  a  good  fiddler  who  could  play  "Money  Musk,"  "Vir' 
ginia  Reel"  and  the  "Lancers,"  and  "first  couple  forward  and 
back"  and  "swing  your  partners"  rang  out  above  the  sound 
of  tripping  feet.  A  big  supper  was  served  after  midnight, 
then  more  dancing  until  the  early  hours. 


[  29] 


In  those  early  days  the  only  light  in  the  houses  on  the 
long  winter  evenings  were  candles,  each  housewife  making  the 
supply  for  her  household.  They  raised  sugar  cane  and  made 
sorghum,  not  a  very  good  molasses,  for  their  buckwheat  cakes. 

The  surrounding  woods  and  prairies  abounded  with  quail, 
prairie  chicken  and  rabbits  and  many  good  game  dinners  did 
these  hardy  pioneers  enjoy. 

In  the  spring  they  picked  buckets  of  wild  strawberries  and 
in  the  fall  bags  of  nuts. 

Spelling  matches,  singing  school.  an<i  attendance  at  Good 
Templars  Lodge  were  indulged  in  by  the  youth  of  this  vicinity 
—  these  events  took  place  at  Dutchman's  Point,  as  Niles  was 
then  called. 

18754890 

The  George  B.  Carpenters  resided  in  Park  Ridge  at  this 
period  of  its  history  and  they  heartily  sponsored  all  progress 
sive  undertakings. 

Mrs.  Carpenter  was  a  brilliant  musician  and  a  woman 
of  much  education  and  culture,  at  the  same  time  unostenta- 
tious,  with  broad  human  sympathies  —  a  wonderful  friend,  a 
helpful  neighbor  and  an  indispensable  social  factor  in  this 
unpretentious  town.  She  and  Mr.  Holbrook  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Sam  Davis  made  up  a  quartette  about  1886  that  did 
much  to  enliven  affairs  of  a  festive  nature.  Mr.  Davis  says 
they  sang  a  new  roof  on  the  church,  so -their  entertainment 
had  a  practical  turn,  too. 


[30] 


There  were  charades  and  plays,  for  the  most  part  given 
in  the  church,  and  their  literary  society,  of  men  and  women, 
was  the  chautauqua.  This  was  an  evening  affair  and  met  fort- 
nightly in  the  hotel,  which  was  on  the  site  of  the  present  Gil- 
lick  block. 

This  was  the  horse  and  buggy  age  and  there  were  drives, 
excursions,  picnics  to  the  river  or  to  Robbs'  Park  (the  Country 
Club  now),  church  sociables,  and  more  church  weddings  than 
now. 

At  a  picnic  at  Ehrhardt's  Grove  Mrs.  Carpenter  went  to 
the  farmer  to  borrow  a  table,  and  as  she  spoke  to  them  in 
German,  nothing  must  do  but  the  whole  family  would  talk 
with  her,  so  pleased  were  they  to  have  a  stranger  speak  their 
language. 

Sleighing  parties  were  popular  but  then  as  now  the 
weather  could  not  be  counted  on  as  the  snow  would  leave  in 
a  hurry.  One  sleighing  party  was  planned,  an  oyster  supper 
ordered  at  Arlington  Heights,  and  although  the  thermometer 
went  to  13°  below  zero,  the  party  went  ahead  as  planned, 
and  suffered  no  ill  consequence. 

The  hotel  was  first  operated  by  the  Snoads,  afterwards 
by  the  Whitlocks.  Its  parlors  were  a  gathering  place  for 
social  occasions  and  it  housed  the  teachers.  It  took  the  place 
of  a  hall.  It  was  purchased  by  the  Swedish  Old  People's 
Society  for  the  Old  People's  Home. 

In  1908  Mr.  Gillick  bought  the  property  and  just  before 
it  was  wrecked,  about  1913,  a  poultry  show  was  held  in  it 
which  would  compare  favorably  with  the  Coliseum  exhibits. 


£31] 


The  early  Garden  Club  was  the  flower  mission.  It  was 
an  incentive  to  plant  annuals  as  every  Wednesday  morning 
the  members  each  filled  a  market  basket  with  flowers  and  took 
it  to  the  express  office.  The  express  company  delivered  the 
baskets  to  the  Flower  Mission  in  Chicago  for  free  distribution 
to  hospitals. 

A  magazine  club  also  was  in  operation  in  those  days  — 
each  member  subscribing  for  a  specific  magazine  —  the  maga- 
sines  circulating  and  returning  to  the  subscriber.  In  this  way 
sans  libraries,  cut  off  from  easy  access  to  Chicago  (there  were 
not  many  trains  even  as  late  as  1890)  the  women  of  Park 
Ridge  managed  always  to  keep  abreast  of  the  times. 


£32} 


Mrs.  S.  H.  Holbroo\  has  long  been  \nown  in  our  community. 
"Ho  helpful  tas\  is  too  great  or  small  for  her  hand.  She  has 
served  in  many  ways  our  town  and  as  a  lover  of  flowers  has 
meant    much    to    Par\    Ridge    in    her    efforts    to    beautify    our    city. 


[33 


St.    Andrew's    Lutheran    Church     (Missouri    Synod). 
Rev.  H.  C.  Richter.  Pastor. 


One  of  the  parochial  schools  of  Par\  Ridge  is  that  of  St.  Andrew's 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church.     This  modern  building  is  located 
at  West   Par\  Avenue  and  West   Elm   Street,    adjaceyxt 
to    the    Church. 


[34  J 


ST.  ANDREW'S  EV.  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 
(Missouri  Synod) 

N.  Park  Ave.  and  W.  Elm  St.,  Park  Ridge,  Illinois 

Seventeen  years  ago  a  little  band  of  men  organized  them' 
selves  into  the  St.  Andrew's  Ev.  Lutheran  congregation.  Small 
was  their  number  and  great  was  their  task,  but  trusting  in  the 
Lord,  they  went  to  work  with  a  will,  and  the  Lord  withheld 
not  His  blessing.  The  following  men  attended  this  memorable 
meeting,  held  June  27,  1909,  and  signed  the  constitution  of 
the  newly  organi^d  congregation:  Julius  Kunke,  Martin  Stah' 
mer,  Fred  Guekow,  Theodore  Juern,  Fred  Juern,  William 
Hasemann,  Sr.,  Carl  Maas,  H.  F.  Dittbrenner,  Edward  Wil' 
shek,  John  Diesness,  Louis  Peters,  and  Frederick  Schroeder. 
Three  of  these  men  have  since  passed  to  eternal  rest,  namely, 
Julius  Kunke,  Carl  Maas,  and  Louis  Peters. 

The  organization  of  the  new  church  was  accomplished  in 
a  manner  which  was  most  gratifying  to  every  one  present.  The 
meeting  showed  that  conservative  Lutheranism  was  very  much 
alive  in  our  community,  and  that  the  organizers  of  this  church 
still  cherished  purity  of  doctrine  and  practice. 

The  first  officers  of  the  congregation  were:  Martin  Stah' 
mer,  chairman;  H.  F.  Dittbrenner,  Wm.  Hasemann,  deacons; 
Louis  Peters,  John  Diesness,  trustees;  Fred  Schroeder,  treasurer 
and  Julius  Kunke,  recording  secretary. 

Divine  services  were  held  in  the  public  school  building 
on  Grant  place,  a  room  being  offered  unto  the  congregation  by 
the  school  board,  which  offer  was  joyfully  accepted.  The 
Rev.  H.  Lewerenz,  of  Des  Plaines,  conducted  the  services, 
until  a  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  Paul  Guebow,  of  Okla' 
homa,  who  was  solemnly  installed  Sunday,  February  6,  1910. 


[**3 


The  following  months  were  months  of  growth  and  expan- 
sion, more  and  more  souls  being  added  to  the  membership  roll. 
It  was  soon  apparent  that  more  suitable  quarters  must  be 
acquired,  as  divine  services  were  being  attended  by  ever  larger 
numbers  of  worshippers  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  room  in 
which  the  congregation  worshipped  presented  anything  but 
a  churchly  appearance.  In  a  meeting  held  May  1,  1910,  St. 
Andrew's  resolved  to  buy  three  lots  on  the  corner  of  N.  Park 
avenue  and  W.  Elm  street.  $1500  was  paid  for  this  so  ideally 
situated  property.  In  a  meeting  on  June  5,1910,  it  was  de- 
cided  to  build  a  church  as  soon  as  possible.  In  the  spring  of 
the  year  1911  work  was  begun  and  the  new  church  was  for- 
mally dedicated  Sunday,  Sept.  17,  1911. 

A  year  and  a  half  later  the  Rev.  Paul  Guelsow  resigned 
and  a  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  Henry  C.  Richter  of  Chi- 
cago, Illinois.  He  accepted  and  was  installed  as  pastor  of 
St.  Andrew's  Church,  Sunday,  July  6,  1913.  The  Rev. 
Henry  C.  Richter  is  still  directing  the  work  of  St.  Andrew's, 
being  the  oldest  pastor  in  Park  Ridge  in  point  of  service. 

Now  followed  a  period  of  steady  growth  for  St.  And- 
rew's. Rapid  advancement  was  made  in  all  departments. 
As  the  field  was  large,  the  pastor  was  obliged  to  deputise 
some  of  the  work.  Accordingly  a  number  of  societies  were 
organised  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  the  pastor  in  the  work 
of  the  church. 

A  Ladies'  Auxiliary  was  organised  and  this  society  has 
been  a  real  blessing  to  the  congregation  from  the  very  start. 
It  has  grown  large  during  the  years  of  its  existence  and  now 
counts  about  70  members.  A  Young  People's  society  was  also 
organised,  and  this  organisation  has  been  extremely  helpful  in 
keeping  the  young  people  within  the  church. 


[36] 


Then  there  is  the  choir,  which,  under  the  able  leadership 
of  its  director,  Mr.  F.  J.  Uttech,  has  made  wonderful  progress, 
and  since  its  organisation  has  been  serving  the  congregation 
regularly  and  efficiently,  beautifying  the  church  services  and 
making  them  more  impressive.  Other  organisations  within 
St.  Andrew's  are  the  Junior  league,  the  Bunco  club,  the  Quilt' 
ing  club  and  the  Bowling  league,  all  working  for  the  benefit 
of  St.  Andrew's. 

Realising  its  obligations  toward  the  children,  St.  And- 
rew's, since  its  foundation,  has  also  maintained  a  parish  school, 
first  and  foremost,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  the  children  a 
thorough  religious  education.  It  believes  that  this  is  "The 
One  Thing  Needful,"  the  most  important  thing  of  all.  But 
though  it  gives  first  place  to  religion,  the  Lutheran  parish  school 
does  not  neglect  the  secular  branches  of  study.  Luther  realised 
and  the  Lutheran  church  realises  the  importance  and  necessity 
of  the  development  of  the  mental  and  physical  faculties  of  man 
in  order  to  make  him  an  efficient  member  of  the  church  and  a 
useful  citisen  of  the  state.  Every  individual  must  develop 
and  train  to  their  fullest  extent  his  powers  and  faculties,  which 
as  a  faithful  steward  he  is  to  use  in  the  service  of  God  and 
for  the  benefit  of  his  fellowman,  that  the  world's  work  may  be 
done  ever  more  perfectly.  St.  Andrew's,  accordingly,  main' 
tains  an  eight  grade  accredited  school  and  has  at  great  sacri' 
fice  erected  a  beautiful  and  modern  school  building,  complete 
and  adequate  in  every  respect.  Two  experienced  and  trained 
men  direct  the  work  of  the  school,  Mr.  F.  J.  Priehs  and  Mr. 
F.  J.  Uttech.    At  present  there  is  an  enrollment  of  81  scholars. 


[37] 


Another  organization  within  the  church,  aiming  to  supply 
the  church  with  an  intelligent,  active  and  professing  Christian 
membership,  and  having  the  one  and  sole  purpose:  "To  Save 
Souls,"  is  the  Sunday  school.  Under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
F.  J.  Priehs,  superintendent,  and  Messrs.  B.  J.  Bruns,  H.  Asher, 
and  A.  Sommer,  the  Sunday  School  Board,  the  Sunday  school 
is  enjoying  a  healthful  and  substantial  growth. 

According  to  a  report,  issued  January,  1926,  St.  Andrew's 
has  an  investment  in  property  amounting  to  $76,481.13.  St. 
Andrew's  has  an  enrollment  of  91  voting  members,  about  600 
souls,  and  about  375  communicants. 

In  conclusion,  we  might  state  that  St.  Andrew's  has 
always  considered  it  a  privilege  indeed  to  carry  on  its  work  in 
the  city  of  Park  Ridge,  a  city  free  from  the  vicious  and  degrad' 
ing  elements  so  common  in  the  metropolitan  centers,  a  city 
where  companionship  and  good  fellowship  walk  hand  in  hand, 
a  city  where  there  is  freedom  of  worship,  the  contentment  of 
sincere  religion  and  the  joy  of  genuine  Christian  endeavor. 

Soli  Deo  Gloria. 


[38] 


KINDERGARTEN 

As  early  as  1891  Park  Ridge  had  a  kindergarten,  Mrs. 
Stansbury  having  a  class  in  her  home  on  North  Prospect  ave' 
nue.  Other  pioneers  in  the  work  were  Miss  Stewart,  Miss 
McNally,  Mrs.  Irick,  Miss  Anna  Holbrook  and  Miss  Wide' 
man.  Miss  Anna  Holbrook  taught  continuously  from  1902 
until  1920,  or  at  least  a  part  of  each  year.  Frequently  she 
was  unable  to  keep  the  work  going  in  January  and  February. 

Others  to  carry  on  later  were  Mrs.  Strong,  Miss  Frances 
Holbrook,  Miss  Gilbertson  and  Mrs.  Guard. 

The  Georgia  Guard  kindergarten  was  founded  in  1924. 
Representatives  from  eight  women's  organisations  form  a  board 
to  manage  the  work.  Miss  Mattison  was  the  first  teacher 
selected,  and  the  school  carried  on  the  season  of  1924'25  in 
Mary  Wilson  house.  Miss  Grace  Baird  was  selected  as  prin' 
cipal  for  the  season  1925'26,  the  session  being  held  in  Jor' 
geson  Hall. 

Season  1926'27  two  units  were  provided,  one  group  meet' 
ing  in  the  Community  church,  with  Miss  Gage,  and  the  other 
group  meeting  in  Jorgeson  Hall  with  Miss  Pike. 


[39] 


PARK  RIDGE  SCHOOL  FOR  GIRLS 

The  Park  Ridge  School  for  Girls  was  founded  in  1877 
and  known  as  the  Illinois  Industrial  School  and  was  located 
in  Evanston.    It  is  a  school  for  dependent  girls. 

Mr.  Talcott,  a  former  director,  gave  a  fortyacre  farm  at 
Park  Ridge  to  establish  a  farm  school  and  home,  and  when 
the  Evanston  location  became  inadequate  in  1909  the  school 
was  moved  to  the  site  at  the  north  end  of  Park  Ridge  which 
it  now  occupies.  It  is  a  fine  school,  conducted  on  the  cottage 
plan,  and  the  girls  committed  to  its  care  receive  a  splendid 
home  and  proper  training. 


[40] 


PUBLIC  SCHOOL 

The  first  school  in  this  school  district  was  a  small  build' 
ing  near  the  river.  The  first  school  house  in  Park  Ridge  is 
said  to  have  been  on  the  prairie  somewhere  near  the  site  of 
St.  Vincent's  Orphan  Asylum.  The  next  school  was  built  on 
Mr.  Paine's  farm  on  the  Niles  road.  Mr.  Paine  was  Mrs. 
Chas.  Stebbing's  father.  From  there  it  was  moved  to  the 
site  of  the  town  hall.  This  place  was  called  "the  corners" 
and  the  school  building  was  used  for  a  meeting  place  of  the 
people  for  miles  around.  Town  meetings  and  church  services 
were  held  there.  The  school  house  was  then  moved  to  the 
site  of  the  old  brick  school  house  on  Grant  place.  In  1867 
it  was  decided  to  build  a  new  school  of  brick  on  that  lot  and 
the  old  building  was  again  moved  to  325  Center  street.  It 
has  been  remodeled  considerably  and  is  at  present  occupied  by 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Krehbiel,  both  artists,  as  their  home  and  studio. 
They  had  such  a  habit  of  moving  those  days  that  one  of  the 
trustees  suggested  that  the  school  house  be  put  on  wheels. 

This  brick  building  of  two  rooms  was  completed  in  1870, 
and  was  used  as  a  school  for  many  years.  In  1902  the  classes 
of  the  Maine  Township  high  school  were  held  in  this  building 
pending  the  completion  of  the  building  in  Des  Plaines.  Prior 
to  this,  students  from  Park  Ridge  had  to  attend  high  school  in 
Jefferson  Park. 


[41} 


The  cornerstone  of  the  present  school  building  facing  the 
railroad  station  was  laid  in  1893.  The  original  holding  did 
not  include  all  the  block.  It  was  in  approximately  1900  that 
the  corner  property  of  Blacksmith  Miller  was  bought.  Addi' 
tions  were  made  to  this  building  in  1921.  In  1900  also, 
property  was  purchased  in  Edison  Park  for  a  school  building, 
which  was  completed  in  the  spring  of  1907. 

At  that  time  Edison  Park  was  in  the  Park  Ridge  school 
district,  but  later  it  was  annexed  to  Chicago. 

A  part  of  the  Grant  place  school  has  been  condemned 
as  unfit  for  school  purposes  in  May,  1926,  and  as  the  schools 
are  overcrowded  Park  Ridge  is  now  to  venture  further  with 
her  school  building. 

m 

DO  YOU  REMEMBER  WAY  BACK  WHEN— 

The  corner  of  the  school  grounds  now  occupied  by  the 
bandstand  was  covered  by  an  old  country  blacksmith's  shop, 
with  the  usual  assortment  of  old  wagons,  plows,  etc.;  black' 
smith  Miller,  as  he  was  called,  refused  to  sell  his  property, 
but  after  his  death  it  was  purchased  by  the  school  board  for 
$6,000.00,  for  a  high  school  site? 

This  purchase  was  the  beginning  of  all  the  subsequent 
dispute  about  the  high  school.  Edison  Park  needed  a  gram- 
mar school  and  resented  this  $6,000.00  expenditure  enough 
to  vote  with  Des  Plaines  to  locate  the  township  high  school 
in  the  latter  town. 


[42] 


Public   School    of  Par\   Ridge.      Original   Building    1893. 
Additions    in    Foreground    1921. 


Maine  Township  High  School,  Des  Plaines.  III.,  has  been  attended 
by  Par\  Ridge  students  since  November,  1902. 


[43] 


Par\  Ridge  Library,    of   which   Par\   Ridge   is  proud. 


Johnstons  Circle — for  many  years  a  familiar  sight  in  Par\  Ridge. 
This  is  the  highest  point  in  Coo\  County.  This  little  plot  had 
to  he  dispensed  with  when  the  J^orthwest  Highway  was  cut  through. 


C  44] 


A  SHORT  HISTORY  OF  THE  PARK  RIDGE  LIBRARY 

To  Mrs.  Laura  A.  Root,  Mrs.  Clara  E.  Miller,  Mrs. 
Clara  A.  Boening,  Mrs.  Grace  A.  Becken  and  Mrs.  Mildred  H. 
Davis,  belongs  the  honor  of  founding  the  Park  Ridge  library. 

The  first  regular  board  meeting  was  formed  on  June  10, 
1910,  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  J.  H.  Collins.  Mr.  Robert  Baird 
presided  and  Mrs.  Miller  was  made  treasurer  and  Mrs.  Boen' 
ing  was  made  secretary.  Mrs.  Boening  was  instructed  to 
write  to  Mr.  Andrew  Carnegie  for  funds  with  which  to  erect 
a  library  building,  also  to  write  to  the  City  Clerk  of  Park 
Ridge  to  send  her  notification  of  their  appointment  as  mem' 
bers  of  the  Library  board.  At  this  time,  a  lot  on  the  corner 
of  North  Prospect  and  Grant  place  was  owned  by  the  board 
and  the  adjoining  lot  was  bought  for  four  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars,  all  assessments  paid. 

Mr.  Carnegie  gave  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars  for 
a  building,  but  this  was  found  inadequate  and  after  further 
correspondence,  Mr.  Carnegie  increased  the  amount  to  seventy 
five  hundred  dollars.  During  this  year,  a  room  was  obtained 
over  Snyder  and  Leeds  store,  in  the  building  that  stands  next 
to  the  Library  on  Park  avenue,  for  which  a  rental  of  five  dollars 
a  month  was  paid.  The  library  was  kept  open  by  volunteer 
service. 

By  November  4,  1912,  a  building  committee,  consisting 
of  Mr.  John  Paulding,  Mr.  J.  A.  Schulkins,  sr.,  and  Mr.  J.  W. 
Pattison,  was  appointed  and  Mr.  Paulding  was  able  to  secure 
as  architects  Pond  ^  Pond.  To  Mr.  Paulding,  more  than  any 
one  else,  Park  Ridge  owes  its  fine  home4ike  library.  At  this 
time,  the  lots  owned  by  the  library  were  exchanged  for  the 
lot  on  which  the  library  now  stands  at  the  corner  of  Northwest 
Highway  and  Prospect.  Mr.  George  Burry,  city  attorney,  had 
charge  of  the  transfer. 


[45] 


On  May  5,  1913,  a  gift  of  a  thousand  volumes  was  pre 
sented  by  the  George  B.  Carpenter  estate  and  in  honor  of  this 
gift  the  south  room  was  named  the  George  B.  Carpenter  room. 
Mrs.  Walter  M.  Clute  designed  the  book  plate  for  these  books, 
and  these  were  printed  by  Mr.  J.  W.  Reed.  In  addition  to 
the  Carpenter  books,  the  Congregational  Church  gave  two 
hundred  and  fifty  volumes,  Miss  Penny  one  hundred  and  thirty 
two,  Mr.  Stewart  Walpole,  two  hundred,  also  many  smaller 
donations  were  received. 

A  picture  by  Mr.  Walter  Marshall  Clute,  entitled  "After' 
noon  Tea,"  was  presented  to  the  library  by  the  Park  Ridge 
Improvement  Association.  In  1923,  friends  of  Mr.  James  W. 
Pattison  likewise  presented  his  picture,  "By  the  Riverside," 
to  the  library  in  his  memory  and  it  was  recently  exchanged  for 
a  larger  picture  by  Mr.  Pattison,  entitled  "The  Quiet  Hour." 
Mr.  John  Suster,  of  Des  Plaines,  a  life  long  friend  of  Mr. 
Pattison  donated  the  frame  for  this  picture.  For  the  fine 
panel  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  F.  C.  Jor- 
geson  and  the  War  Memorial,  over  the  fire-place  was  made  by 
Mr.  John  Paulding  and  presented  by  the  citizens  of  Park  Ridge. 

In  December,  1924,  at  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  A.  W.  Cava' 
naugh,  then  president,  an  extension  committee  was  formed  to 
procure  extra  funds  for  the  necessary  juvenile  and  reference 
books,  also  to  publish  a  catalogue.  The  committee  consisted 
of  the  Board  of  Members,  together  with  representatives  of  the 
three  Women's  clubs  and  as  a  result  of  their  drive  over  six 
hundred  books  have  been  added  to  the  library  and  the  first 
catalogue  printed. 

1st  Librarian — Ruth  Colman. 

2nd  Librarian — Frances  Holbrook, 


[46] 


THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH  OF 
PARK  RIDGE 

At  a  meeting  held  at  Brickton,  Illinois,  in  the  year  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifysix,  "made  up  of  the  mem' 
bers  of  the  different  religious  societies,  and  called  together  to 
consult  about  building  a  house  of  worship " 

In  quaint,  old-fashioned  writing,  in  a  battered  old  calf- 
bound  record  book  begins  the  history  of  the  Methodist  Epis' 
copal  Church  of  Park  Ridge,  Illinois. 

"After  taking  up  the  matter  pretty  thoroughly,"  contin" 
ues  this  simple  history,  "it  was  finally  agreed  that  the  several 
churches  could  not  unite  in  building  a  union  house,  so  the 
meeting  adjourned  without  further  action." 

But  the  spirit  that  impelled  that  first  attempt  to  erect  a 
house  of  God  in  this  little  prairie  village,  then  known  as 
Brickton  Station,  could  not  be  stilled.  Those  who  called  them- 
selves Methodists  must  have  a  house  of  worship,  where  they 
might  bow  their  heads  with  those  who  visioned  God  as  they 
visioried  Him,  and  a  few  months  later,  on  October  7  of  that 
same  year,  the  trustees  of  the  church  met  again.  This  time 
they  determined  to  go  ahead  and  build  themselves  a  church  at 
Brickton,  and  that  subscriptions  be  taken,  payable  quarterly, 
to  carry  out  the  work. 

"A  plan  and  specifications  for  a  brick  church  together 
with  a  lot  upon  which  to  build  it  having  been  presented  to  the 
society  were  accepted,  and  although  the  estimated  cost  was 
about  six  thousand  dollars  the  trustees  resolved  to  try  and 
erect  it."    That  was  a  lot  of  money  in  those  days. 


{47] 


By  April  of  1857,  Brother  Bundock,  who  was  then  the 
preacher  in  charge,  reported  that  he  had  four  thousand  dollars 
in  good  subscriptions,  and  the  contract  for  this  goodly  brick 
church  was  let  —  to  Messrs.  Chittendon  6?  Gordon  for  car' 
penter  work,  joining  and  painting;  to  Messrs.  Wilton  &  Vic 
tor  the  contract  for  masonry;  to  Penny  and  Meacham  for  the 
brick.  The  ground  was  broken,  the  basement  completed,  and 
then  consternation.  The  quarterly  payments  on  subscriptions 
would  not  be  due  in  time  to  make  the  payments  on  the  con- 
tract. Rumors  of  hard  times  were  in  the  air  —  the  great  panic 
of  1857  reached  the  inland  settlement  of  Brickton.  And  work 
on  the  church  was  discontinued. 

For  two  years,  until  well  into  1859,  services  were  held 
regularly  in  the  basement  of  the  half  finished  church,  for  a 
little  group  of  worshippers  that  seldom  aggregated  more  than 
seventy-five  people. 

"As  it  neared  completion,"  goes  on  the  old,  faded  record, 
fcianother  want  unprovided  for  presented  itself.  We  lacked 
the  means  to  furnish  the  finished  building,  and  how  to  raise 

it  did  not  readily  present  itself It  was  decided 

that  we  would  get  up  an  excursion  to  Crystal  Lake  in  the 
cars,  inviting  the  inhabitants  of  the  several  villages  to  join 
us,  offering  them  the  ride  at  a  very  low  rate  in  full  remunera' 
tion  for  the  amount  paid  for  the  ticket.  The  plan  was  entered 
upon  with  zeal  and  resulted  very  successfully,  some  two  hun- 
dred  and  thirty'seven  and  88/100  dollars  being  the  net  pro- 
ceeds after  paying  all  expenses. 


{48} 


"Short  work  was  made  of  getting  the  house  ready  for 
dedication  which  took  place  on  the  last  Sabbath  in  October, 
1859,  Bishop  Mathew  Simpson  preaching  the  dedication  ser' 
mon." 

This  sturdy  edifice  served  for  two  generations  as  the  place 
of  worship  for  those  of  Methodist  faith  from  Brickton,  Edison 
Park,  Norwood  Park,  Jefferson  Park,  even  as  far  as  Irving 
Park.  A  beloved  landmark,  its  exterior  remained  unchanged 
until  the  erection  of  the  present  beautiful  church  building  in 
1925. 

The  actual  written  record  begins  four  years  later,  with 
the  proceedings  of  the  fourth  quarterly  meeting  of  the  Brick' 
ton  circuit,  Rock  River  conference,  which  met  at  the  Brickton 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  August  18,  1860.  Here  is  that 
little  group  of  men,  E.  M.  Boring,  presiding  elder;  J.  T.  Hanna, 
preacher  in  charge;  Bros.  Wheadon,  Drake,  Irish  and  Waters, 
local  preachers;  Bro.  Wentworth,  exhorter;  Bros.  Meacham, 
Penny  and  Outhet,  stewards;  and  Whitcomb  and  Chittendon, 
leaders.  These  same  names  are  woven  through  the  early  his' 
tory  of  the  settlement  of  Brickton  Station,  its  schools,  its 
social  and  its  business  life.  Then,  as  today,  the  leaders  in 
church  work  are  the  leaders  in  civic  work  in  Park  Ridge. 

In  those  days,  when  the  preacher  rode  the  circuit  from 
charge  to  charge,  the  presiding  elders  and  the  local  or  lay  pas' 
tors  were  endowed  with  the  prerogative  of  baptism,  and  the 
first  baptism  on  that  old,  faded  record  is  that  of  little  Anne  H. 
Holton,  daughter  of  Calvin  and  Susan  Holton,  born  April  17, 
1859,  baptised,  Sept.  3,  1860,  by  A.  Brown,  no  doubt  one  of 
those  early  circuit  riders. 


[49] 


On  September  8,  1861,  Francis  Paine  was  baptised  by 
Rev.  Hanna,  and  on  January  5,  1862,  she  was  united  in  mar' 
riage  to  Evan  Jones,  the  first  bride  to  be  entered  in  this  quaint 
old  book.  Mrs.  Jones  still  lives  in  Park  Ridge,  and  is  still  a 
member  of  this  church,  and  interestingly  enough,  her  daughter, 
Mrs.  Charlotte  Morey,  worked  as  zealously  to  raise  the  funds 
for  the  present  new  church  as  her  mother  must  have  worked 
to  raise  the  money  to  build  that  first  one.  The  second  school 
house  built  in  the  district  stood  on  the  farm  of  JMrs.  Jones' 
father,  Charles  Paine,  so  these  early  records  say. 

In  1860,  the  church  had  a  membership  of  72. 

In  the  records  for  1863,  we  learn  "Within  the  bounds  of 
the  charge  there  are  three  Sunday  schools  and  all  in  flourish' 
ing  condition.  The  school  at  Niles  is  conducted  principally 
by  the  ladies,  there  being  no  gentlemen  to  assist,  and  the  inter' 
est  is  well  sustained  and  increasing."  Another  indication  that 
the  Civil  war  had  touched  the  community. 

In  1871,  Brickton  Station  was  incorporated  into  the  Vil' 
lage  of  Park  Ridge,  and  the  Brickton  "charge"  of  the  Rock 
River  conference  became  the  First  M.  E.  Church  of  Park 
Ridge. 

Its  history  is  woven  into  the  life  stories  of  the  men  and 
women  who  have  stood,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  in  its  support, 
when  in  the  late  eighties  appears  the  name  of  F.  C.  Jorgeson, 
who  for  more  than  thirty  years  was  the  superintendent  of  its 
Sabbath  school,  a  name  that  stands  out  like  a  beacon,  unfail' 
ing  in  time  of  turbulence,  as  in  time  of  peace. 

Reverend  John  Westley  Cutler  was  one  of  the  first  of  the 
resident  pastors,  a  student  preacher. 

Men  and  women  who  are  graying  now  recall  Rev.  Jacob 
Hartman,  who  followed  him  —  the  kindly,  genial  old  minister 
whose  gentle  counsel  was  a  guide  and  inspiration  in  their  youth. 


no] 


W.  R.  Goodwin,  one  of  the  most  outstanding  ministers 
ever  assigned  to  the  Park  Ridge  Church,  next  appears.  He 
served  the  church  for  one  brief  year,  18884889. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Lucus  served  the  congregation  for  the  year 
18894890  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  John  C.  Foster,  who  may 
be  called  our  literary  minister.  The  interest  in  books  and  read' 
ing  which  he  fostered  still  leaves  its  mark  upon  the  community. 

From  1892  to  1895,  Rev.  R.  H.  Dolliver,  a  brother  of  the 
famous  U.  S.  Senator  Dolliver  of  Iowa  served  the  Park  Ridge 
congregation.  Rev.  Dolliver's  father  was  also  a  minister  and 
both  he  and  the  senator  often  visited  the  parish.  The  elder 
Dolliver  is  remembered  as  a  one4egged  man  with  a  great  boom" 
ing  voice  that  compelled  pulpit  attention.  The  Dollivers  were 
Virginians,  with  a  rare  charm,  and  gift  for  leadership  which 
was  an  ever  present  source  of  inspiration  to  the  congregation. 
Mrs.  Dolliver  is  still  remembered  as  a  dynamo  of  energy,  a 
wonderful  worker  and  builder  for  her  church. 

The  Dollivers  were  followed  by  Rev.  A.  C.  Wakeman, 
the  "mechanical  pastor."  With  zest  and  enthusiasm,  Rev. 
Wakeman -laid  aside  the  Book  to  take  up  the  hammer  and 
saw,  and  himself  helped  to  build  the  new  parsonage. 

At  the  end  of  his  second  year  of  service,  in  1897,  came 
Reverend  J.  M.  Wheaton,  who  drove  into  Park  Ridge  from 
his  previous  charges  behind  a  spanking  team  of  horses.  He 
had  a  large  family  of  happy  youngsters,  and  from  his  people, 
for  whom  the  town  of  Wheaton  is  named,  he  inherited  the 
means  to  live  more  opulently  than  most  ministers  of  the  faith. 

Rev.  J.  B.  McGuffin,  a  sturdy  Scotsman,  next  served  the 
church  from  1899  to  1902.  Stern  and  strict  in  his  religion, 
the  true  son  of  his  Scotch  Presbyterian  antecedents,  he  was 
still  beloved  and  revered  by  his  Methodist  congregation. 


[n} 


Rev.  R.  H.  Pate  filled  the  pulpit  for  a  longer  period  of 
time  than  any  other  minister,  serving  for  the  full  five  years 
allowed  him  by  the  conference,  from  1902  to  1907,  and  will 
be  remembered  long  for  his  splendid  work. 

From  1907  to  1910,  the  Park  Ridge  congregation  was  led 
by  Rev.  C.  W.  Thornton,  a  well  loved  pastor,  who  is  now 
retired. 

It  was  during  his  regime  that  the  Park  Ridge  Methodist 
Church  celebrated  its  golden  jubilee. 

October  10  to  13,  1909,  will  remain  long  in  the  memory 
of  those  who  were  privileged  to  participate  in  this  great  home 
coming,  the  fiftieth  birthday  of  the  church. 

This  three'day  celebration  brought  back  four  of  its  former 
pastors,  Rev.  Wheaton,  Rev.  Pate,  Rev.  Smith  and  Rev.  Hart' 
man. 

The  climax  of  the  celebration  was  the  jubilee  banquet  on 
October  13,  bringing  together  many  old  time  members  and 
friends  of  the  church. 

Mrs.  S.  E.  Cummings  was  in  charge  of  the  program. 
The  speakers  were  Adam  C.  Orr,  S.  E.  Cummings,  Z.  D. 
Root,  Evan  Jones  and  Mrs.  Chittenden. 

In  the  fall  of  1910  Rev.  John  L.  Dickson  became  the  resi' 
dent  pastor  and  served  until  the  fall  of  1914.  It  was  during 
his  pastorate  and  largely  through  his  influence  that,  on  Janu' 
ary  first,  1913,  the  Methodist  and  Congregational  churches 
were  federated  and  continued  to  worship  as  one  for  four  years. 
Rev.  Dickson  was  a  Yale  graduate  and  a  good  preacher. 


[«] 


Next  came  Rev.  Albertus  Perry,  wartime  preacher,  who 
inherited  the  difficult  task  of  serving  the  federated  churches. 
Mr.  Perry  succeeded  in  handling  the  details  of  the  unavoidable 
dissolution  of  the  federation  in  so  tactful  a  manner  that  the 
two  organisations  parted  with  good  feeling. 

When  the  federation  was  dissolved  the  Methodist  church 
found  itself  confronted  with  disorganisation;  its  membership 
had  dwindled.  Its  choir  and  staff  of  Sunday  school  teachers 
were  depleted,  its  income  had  suffered  by  the  experiment. 
Valiantly  its  membership  shouldered  the  burden  and  at  the 
end  of  the  year  Rev.  Perry  saw  his  roster  of  membership 
restored  to  its  old  strength.  The  spirit  of  those  first  pioneers 
still  hovered  over  the  congregation  as  it  does  today. 

Rev.  J.  F.  Jeness,  a  missionary  preacher  from  Buenos 
Aires,  was  assigned  here  in  October,  1918,  and  after  serving 
one  year  returned  to  his  missionary  work  in  the  south.  Rev. 
George  Gable  followed  him  and  filled  the  pulpit  for  a  like 
term.  Besides  his  pastoral  work,  Rev.  Gable  played  the  cornet 
in  the  city  band  and  took  a  keen  interest  in  the  musical  life 
of  the  community. 

In  October,  1920,  Thomas  P.  Brannum  became  pastor  of 
the  charge;  he  served  for  four  eventful  years.  Besides  the  good 
work  in  his  own  church  in  which  his  wife  had  a  large  share, 
Mr.  Brannum's  pastorate  was  marked  by  a  fine  spirit  of  a> 
operation  with  the  other  churches  of  the  town,  and  the  organic 
nation  of  the  Community  council  and  the  Community  chest 
is  very  largely  due  to  his  influence.  Also,  during  this  time,  the 
old,  historic  church  building  which  has  stood  for  more  than 
half  a  century,  gave  way  to  the  new  and  beautiful,  one  hundred 
and  twentyfive  thousand  dollar  structure  that  now  houses  the 
numerous  activities  of  the  congregation.  In  November,  1923, 
the  campaign  for  the  building  fund  was  launched.    The  first 


[53] 


sod  for  the  new  building  was  turned  when  F.  C.  Jorgeson, 
unfailing  friend  of  the  congregation,  doubled  the  first  twenty 
thousand  dollars  raised  with  his  own  check  for  a  like  amount, 
making  the  sum  necessary  before  contracts  could  be  let  and 
actual  building  started. 

The  week  beginning  April  twelfth,  1925,  marked  the 
services  of  dedication  of  the  new  building;  a  tribute  to  the 
faith,  the  courage  and  the  unfailing  loyalty  of  the  pastor  and 
the  congregation.  The  old  building  was,  however,  not 
deserted,  for  in  the  building  plans,  it  was  remodeled  and  made 
into  the  "F.  C.  Jorgeson  Assembly  Hall,"  a  tribute  to  the  man 
who,  for  a  lifetime  has  given  so  generously  of  his  time,  his 
spirit,  and  his  worldly  goods  to  the  welfare  of  the  church  and 
the  community  that  he  loves. 

Today  the  Park  Ridge  Methodist  church  is  presided  over 
by  the  Rev.  Stuart  B.  Edmondson,  one  of  the  strongest  com' 
munity  leaders  who  has  ever  filled  its  pulpit.  The  church  now 
claims  a  membership  of  four  hundred  and  fifty,  and  a  Sabbath 
school  enrollment  of  four  hundred  and  twenty.  It  holds  an 
enviable  record  of  service  to  its  own  members  and  to  the  com' 
munity  of  which  it  has  been  so  intimately  a  part  for  nearly 
seventy  years. 


[54] 


Old      Methodist-Episcopal      Church 

for  many  years  the  church  home  of 

the  Methodists  of  Par\  Ridge. 


The  7\[eu>  Methodist  Church  and  Jorgeson  Hall. 


[**] 


The  former  home  of  the  Par\  Ridge  Country  Club,  supplanted  by  the 
new,    magnificent    building. 


[56] 


THE  PARK  RIDGE  COUNTRY  CLUB 

Twenty  years  ago  —  to  be  exact,  in  1906  and  1907  — 
there  existed  in  the  city  of  Park  Ridge  a  pleasure  and  tennis 
club,  the  tennis  club  having  been  the  outgrowth  of  the  desire 
for  outdoor  sport,  but  the  game  of  tennis  is  not  for  any  but 
the  youthful,  so  the  members  of  this  dance  and  tennis  club 
decided  to  "take  up  golf"  and  leased  the  Robb  farm  from  the 
then  owner,  Mrs.  Eliz#  J.  Bell,  the  Robb  farm  lying  just  west 
of  Prospect  avenue  and  north  of  Sibley  avenue  in  the  city  of 
Park  Ridge,  and  having  along  the  eastern  border  on  Prospect 
avenue  an  exceedingly  beautiful  little  woods. 

This  farm  was  leased  for  the  sum  of  five  hundred  dollars 
per  year,  and  the  business  of  transforming  a  cornfield  into  a 
golf  course  was  started  by  some  of  the  husky  members  of  the 
tennis  club  cutting  corn  stalks  and  clearing  and  leveling  the 
field. 

The  golf  "bug"  is  infectious,  and  as  the  members  of  the 
tennis  club  became  infected  with  the  "bug,"  as  do  all  who 
take  up  this  wonderfully  wholesome  outdoor  game,  they  con' 
ceived  the  idea  of  owning  the  Robb  farm  and  organising  and 
building  a  real  golf  club  and  course,  and  with  this  in  view 
under  the  leadership  of:  E.  E.  Emerich,  president;  S.  J. 
Knowles,  vice-president;  C.  F.  Biggert,  secretary,  and  G.  D. 
Stebbings,  treasurer,  a  special  meeting  of  the  club  members 
was  called  on  November  16th,  1911,  and  it  was  decided  to 
buy  the  site  of  the  present  Park  Ridge  Country  Club  at  three 
hundred  dollars  an  acre. 


[57] 


The  present  club  was  duly  organized  and  incorporated 
and  a  charter  applied  for  and  obtained,  and  the  above  named 
were  the  original  officers  of  the  Park  Ridge  Country  Club, 
which  has  grown  and  thrived  through  twenty  years  of  exist' 
ence,  and  today  is  known  throughout  the  Chicago  golfing 
district  as  one  of  its  most  beautiful  and  technically  constructed 
courses.  In  fact  it  has  been  played  by  golfers  from  coast  to 
coast.    Aye!    England. 

Tom  Bendelow,  the  "man  from  Aberdeen,"  was  the  first 
architect  hired  to  lay  out  a  real  course,  but  his  best  efforts 
were  cramped  for  want  of  sufficient  acreage,  and  the  course 
was  modified  from  time  to  time  until  it  was  appreciated  that 
more  acreage  was  necessary  to  build  a  course  with  sufficient 
yardage,  proper  bunkering  and  hazards. 

For  several  years  it  had  been  a  constant  struggle  to  finance 
the  club,  due  to  the  lack  of  sufficient  water  for  the  fairways 
and  greens,  and  lack  of  proper  drainage  —  both  vitally  neces' 
sary  to  keep  a  golf  course  in  anything  like  good  playing  condi' 
tion  —  thereby  making  it  next  to  impossible  to  interest  and 
hold  the  members  of^the  club;  and  it  was  found  impossible 
to  fill  the  membership. 

In  1915  Walter  Raymer  was  elected  president  of  the 
Park  Ridge  Country  Club  with  an  enthusiastic  and  hustling 
board  of  directors,  and  a  determined  and  fighting  membership, 
although  perhaps  few  in  numbers. 

Under  Mi*.  Raymer's  leadership  and  his  borrowing 
capacity  (he  was  and  is  a  banker)  we  borrowed  $45,000.00, 
largely  on  promissory  notes  and  by  plastering  a  second  mort' 
gage  on  our  holdings  and  purchased  additional  acreage  and 
hired  Frank  Langford,  golf  architect,  and  entirely  rebuilt  the 
course  into  substantially  its  present  perfect  layout. 


[58] 


We  had  as  one  of  the  board  at  this  time  Mr.  Frank 
Craig,  a  man  loved  by  all,  and  particularly  by  the  birds  and 
flowers  which  he  in  turn  dearly  loved.  Mr.  Craig  devoted 
two  years  of  his  spare  time  erecting  three  hundred  bird 
houses  for  his  feathery  friends,  and  by  planting  covered  the 
course  with  beautiful  trees  around  each  of  the  eighteen  tees, 
and  shrubbery  throughout  the  whole  course  —  and  in  addi' 
tion  to  the  tremendous  flower  bed  near  the  lake,  developed 
others  in  many  unexpected  places  and  corners  and  coves 
throughout  the  course  where  the  bees  and  hummingbirds  and 
butterflies  sought  their  daily  sustenance,  and  as  a  result  the 
very  atmosphere  became  laden  with  sweet  perfume,  and  our 
hearts  were  made  glad. 

Mr.  Frank  Craig  was  made  an  honorary  member  of  the 
club  for  this  service,  and  as  the  older  members  who  knew 
Mr.  Craig  drive  their  golf  balls  through  the  course  their 
inclination  is  to  stop  at  the  clusters  of  shrubbery  and  the 
flower  gardens  and  raise  their  hats  to  him  who  accomplished 
these  things. 

Our  birds  became  so  well  known  that  the  president  of 
the  Audubon  Society  of  America  visited  the  course  to  see 
for  himself,  and  to  advise,  and  we  then  organised  and  have 
since  maintained  the  Leaf  and  Feathery  committee,  whose  sole 
business  it  is  to  watch  over  and  protect  our  birds  and  flowers. 

The  first  club  house  of  the  Park  Ridge  Country  Club 
was  developed  by  the  famous  architect  Frank  Lloyd  Wright 
from  the  tiny  little  frame  farm  house  into  a  very  far-reaching 
club  house  with  glassed  and  screened  in  porches  surrounded 
by  flowers,  and  its  countrified  effect  and  unique  beauty  with 
trees  growing  up  through  the  porches  and  roofs  became  known 
far  and  wide,  but  while  very  beautiful  and  attractive  it  lacked 
modern  conveniences. 


[59] 


With  the  building  of  the  modern  golf  courses  —  the  beau' 
tiful  patch  of  woods  along  Prospect  avenue,  the  flowers,  the 
birds  and  shrubbery,  our  membership  rapidly  filled  up. 

The  club  had  overcome  the  water  shortage  after  years 
of  waiting  by  sinking  a  well  and  developing  the  pond  into  a 
cemented  lake  as  the  result  of  a  gift  of  $5,000.00  from  Mrs. 
Edward  L.  Wickwire  in  remembrance  of  her  deceased  hus' 
band,  whose  attachment  for  our  club  was  deep;  and  we  had 
overcome  our  lack  of  drainage  by  developing  our  "right  of 
way"  for  drainage  into  the  Des  Plaines  river  through  a  ditch 
through  the  farms  to  the  west  of  us,  and  we  were  rebounding 
from  the  shock  of  the  $45,000.00  expenditures  in  rebuilding 
our  course  and  were  about  ready  for  further  advancement 
and  adventure. 

The  club  had  not  reached  this  plane  of  progress  and 
advancement  without  much  grief  and  worries.  As  the  course 
developed  we  had  many  guests  from  other  clubs,  some  of  whom 
went  home  without  a  shower  in  the  days  of  "lack  of  water"; 
and  others  criticised  the  poor  drainage,  due  to  the  fact  that 
the  Park  Ridge  city  draining  system  was  neither  low  enough 
nor  large  enough  to  drain  the  course  into,  but  these  were  over' 
come  as  described  and  we  excused  the  city  of  Park  Ridge  to 
our  complaining  guests  and  members,  calling  attention  to  its 
crooked  and  shaded  streets,  the  absence  of  factories  and 
unsightly  structures  and  the  homey  atmosphere. 

We  were  determined  for  success  and  would  not  be  placed 
on  the  defensive. 


[60] 


The  members  of  the  Park  Ridge  Country  Club  appreci' 
ated  that  any  criticism  of  the  city  of  Park  Ridge  for  any  rea' 
son  whatsoever  would  hurt  the  club  —  that  the  interests  of 
the  city  of  Park  Ridge  and  the  club  were  identical,  and  battled 
it  out  along  those  lines;  and  this  was  made  easier  by  the  support 
we  received  from  time  to  time  by  the  officials  of  the  city  of 
Park  Ridge,  who  truly  helped  when  it  was  possible  and  the 
necessities  of  the  club  were  fairly  presented. 

There  was  nothing  that  the  city  of  Park  Ridge  could  do 
to  remedy  the  sewerage  question  nor  was  it  possible  to  furnish 
us  with  the  necessary  water  power,  and  the  solution  of  these 
two  vital  questions  was  one  for  the  club  to  overcome,  and 
these  were  overcome  as  described. 

The  vital  interests  of  both  the  city  of  Park  Ridge  and  the 
club  were  identical  and  so  closely  interwoven  that  one  of 
necessity  had  to  help  and  defend  and  develop  the  other,  and 
accordingly  each  did  so  help  and  defend  and  was  the  means 
of  keeping  the  officials  of  the  city  of  Park  Ridge  and  the  offi' 
cers  of  the  Park  Ridge  Country  Club  on  exceedingly  friendly 
terms.  The  fact  that  the  city  of  Park  Ridge  has  been  helped 
by  the  club  will  be  more  greatly  appreciated  when  it  is  gener' 
ally  known  that  for  the  past  six  or  seven  years  the  Park  Ridge 
Country  Club  course  was  played  over  by  approximately  2,500 
golfers  from  other  golf  clubs  throughout  the  Chicago  golfing 
district  during  each  year,  so  that  in  the  past  six  years  the  Park 
Ride  Country  Club  has  brought  to  the  city  of  Park  Ridge 
approximately  15,000  golfers,  99  per  cent  of  whom  are  menv 
bers  of  other  golf  clubs  and  necessarily  more  or  less  financially 
prosperous  and  practically  in  every  instance  fine,  big,  whole' 
some  fellows,  and  therefore,  the  prosperity  of  the  Park  Ridge 
Country  Club  means  much  to  the  city  of  Park  Ridge  and  to 
its  material  growth,  and  of  course  the  members  of  the  Park 


[61] 


Ridge  Country  Club  cannot  permit  of  any  criticism  of  the 
beauties  of  this  little  wooded  suburb  of  Chicago,  whose 
crooked  and  shaded  streets  and  homey  atmosphere  have  come 
to  mean  so  much  to  both  the  local  and  Chicago  members  of 
the  club,  particularly  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  success  of 
the  Park  Ridge  Country  Club  has  also  been  attended  by  the 
friendship  and  good  will  of  the  residents  of  the  city  of  Park 
Ridge. 

The  writer  some  years  ago  remembers  standing  on  the 
height  in  Sutro  Park  which  rises  immediately  beyond  the  beach 
at  the  golden  gate  in  San  Francisco  watching  the  glorious  sun' 
set  over  the  Pacific  about  which  the  poets  declaim,  and  being 
enthralled  with  the  beauty  of  the  coloring  and  the  sunset;  but 
the  beauty  of  this  picture  from  its  setting  in  Sutro  Park  is  no 
greater  than  what  may  be  seen  most  any  day  in  the  week  sit' 
ting  on  the  porch  of  the  Park  Ridge  Country  Club  and  watch' 
ing  the  sun  set  over  the  beautiful  level  fairways  and  green 
trees  and  shrubbery  in  the  west,  surrounded  by  flower  gardens 
and  birds  round  about  —  so  tame  and  at  home  as  to  entirely 
ignore  the  golfers  and  other  humans. 

It  is  necessary,  sometimes,  to  leave  home  to  appreciate 
what  we  have  at  home. 

This  flood  of  guests  from  far  and  wide  —  the  filling  of  our 
membership  and  the  large  waiting  list,  induced  us  as  a  club 
to  step  out  again  and  add  to  our  course  a  very  modern  club 
house  containing  all  conveniences,  and  in  keeping  with  our 
course  and  surroundings. 


[62] 


We  believe  we  have  one  of  the  most  beautiful  lounges, 
reception  room,  dining  room  and  grill  in  the  Chicago  district. 
The  dining  room  contains  a  very  highly  carved  mantel,  include 
ing  a  painting  which  is  over  four  hundred  years  old,  which 
were  brought  to  this  country  by  the  Art  Institute  of  Chicago 
for  installation  in  their  English  room,  and  was  procured  for 
the  club  by  W.  H.  Miller  of  Marshall  Field  and  Company. 
The  mantel  was  built  into  an  old  English  castle. 

It  is  pleasing  to  our  members  to  see  the  wonderfully 
attractive  homes  springing  up  around  and  about  us.  Well  can 
some  of  you  remember  when  Park  Ridge  was  pointed  out 
from  Milwaukee  avenue  by  the  water  tank.  Now  it  is  pointed 
out  by  the  bright  colors  of  its  clustered  homes,  backed  by  green 
trees,  by  the  many  tourists  along  the  same  avenue. 

More  and  more  are  the  beauties  of  the  Park  Ridge  Coun- 
try Club  influencing  its  members  and  guests  to  move  to  the 
city  of  Park  Ridge  where  there  are  no  factories  to  pollute  the 
atmosphere  —  where  homely  surroundings  prevail  supreme  — 
where  they  may  come  from  the  daily  grind  and  step  out  on  a 
beautiful  course  and  enjoy  the  privileges  of  breathing  fresh, 
clean  air,  associating  with  their  feathery  friends,  flowers  and 
other  things  that  God  has  given  them  to  make  their  lives 
fuller,  happier,  cleaner  and  more  wholesome,  and  to  be  kept 
in  touch  with  nature. 

— George  Lauder  Turnbull. 


[63] 


DO  YOU  REMEMBER  WAY  BACK  WHEN— 

Mark  Kendall,  the  butcher,  rang  his  bell  and  the  house" 
wives  went  out  to  the  meat  wagon  and  selected  the  cut  they 
wanted  —  not  much  choice,  however?  It  was  lucky  if  there 
were  two  kinds  of  meat  to  choose  from;  never  were  there 
three,  and  generally  only  one. 

The  small  boys  used  to  make  rafts  of  the  sidewalks 
(wooden  planks)  in  the  spring? 

One  Hallowe'en  the  small  boys  unhinged  about  ten  gates 
(they  had  them  in  those  days)  and  piled  them  up  at  the  depot. 
And  householders  had  to  come  down  and  pick  out  their  gate 
and  carry  it  home,  and  several  mistakes  were  made —  the  gates 
not  fitting,  more  trips  to  the  depot,  etc.?  Oh!  Those  were 
the  good  old  days. 

The  pioneer  women  had  many  things  to  contend  with? 
Two  that  they  did  not  have  were  cigarette  stained  fingers  and 
chapped  knees. 

Fred  I.  Gillick  as  a  boy  took  care  of  Sam  Davis'  horse 
and  cow  for  a  small  sum  per  week? 

Sam  Davis  moved  from  the  residence  which  Dr.  Friend 
occupies  because  the  rent  was  raised  from  $15.00  to  $17.00 
a  month? 

Messrs.  Penny  and  Meacham  wrote  a  clause  into  every 
deed  to  property  they  sold,  prohibiting  the  manufacture  or 
6ale  of  intoxicants  on  that  piece  of  land? 


[64] 


First  Ban\  in  the  office  and  under  the  management 
of  W.    G.    and    S.    H.    Barrows.    1908. 


When    the    Ban\    was    in   a   part    of    F.    J.    Gillic^s 
office— 1 909. 


[65] 


Par\  Ridge  State  Ban\, 
1914-1926. 


Latest     edifice     housing    Par\    Ridge    State     Ban\. 
Too\    up   occupancy  February,   1926. 


THE  PARK  RIDGE  STATE  BANK 

In  1908  Park  Ridge  had  grown  so  prosperous  and  was 
growing  so  steadily  that  local  merchants  could  no  longer  trans' 
act  business  except  at  great  inconvenience  without  some  sort 
of  banking  facilities. 

In  November,  1908,  W.  G.  and  S.  H.  Barrows  opened 
a  banking  department  in  connection  with  their  lumber  and 
coal  business. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  year  transactions  in  this  banking 
department  had  so  increased  that  the  lumber  office  could  no 
longer  accommodate  customers  of  this  department.  A  new 
location  was  sought  and  in  1909  half  of  Mr.  Gillick's  office 
was  leased,  new  fixtures  installed  and  the  bank  on  the  second 
lap  of  its  progress.  At  this  time  Mr.  W.  G.  Barrows  retired 
from  the  business  and  it  was  continued  by  Mr.  S.  H.  Barrows. 
In  1910  application  was  made  to  the  secretary  of  state  for 
permission  to  organise  as  a  state  bank  — ■  Mr.  George  E.  Clark, 
Fred  I.  Gillick  and  Stanley  H.  Barrows  being  the  commission' 
ers.  In  November,  1910,  all  the  stock  was  sold  and  paid 
for,  and  the  first  meeting  of  stockholders  called. 

The  Park  Ridge  State  Bank  on  January  2,  1911,  remained 
in  the  same  quarters  as  its  predecessor,  taking  over  the  busi' 
ness  of  W.  G.  and  S.  H.  Barrows,  bankers. 

The  new  bank  continued  to  grow,  providing  greater 
security,  better  facilities,  better  service  and  in  1913  the  direc 
tors  unanimously  voted  to  build  a  new  banking  home.  The 
new  bank  building  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Prospect  Ave 
nue  and  the  Northwest  Highway  was  opened  September  12, 
1914. 


[67] 


Despite  the  fact  that  when  this  building  was  erected  it 
was  considered  adequate  for  future  requirements,  the  growth 
was  so  phenomenal  that  twelve  years  later  finds  the  need  of 
more  commodious  quarters  pressing,  and  in  1926  the  business 
was  moved  into  the  beautiful  and  imposing  edifice  on  that 
historical  triangle  of  land  where  Mancel  Talcott  built  his 
humble  log  cabin  in  1845,  Northwest  Highway  and  Center 
Street. 

The  resources  of  the  bank  have  multiplied  twenty  times 
in  fifteen  years,  indicating  unmistakably  that  it  has  undeniably 
fulfilled  its  purpose. 


[68] 


£  -2 
|| 

o  3 


^5    <3 


o  ja 

-£  -2 

o  <" 


[  69  ] 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  CATHOLIC  CHURCH 
OF  PARK  RIDGE 

In  the  earlier  days,  the  Catholics  of  these  parts  belonged 
to  the  Catholic  parish  of  Des  Plaines,  111.,  andjvere  obliged  to 
go  there  to  worship.  Th.e  Catholic  families  at  that  time  were 
the  Flynns,  Ratighans,  Connellys,  Carpenters,  Webers,  Mur' 
phys,  Lechners,  Kemps,  Kennedy's,  Schiessles,  Bauers,  Cos- 
tellos,  Colemans  and  Greiwes.  Miss  Alice  Ratighan  taught 
the  elements  of  Christian  doctrine  to  the  children  every  Sun' 
day  afternoon  in  her  home. 

In  1901  the  Sisters  of  Charity  in  charge  of  St.  Vincent's 
Foundling  Asylum,  Chicago,  rented  a  large  frame  residence 
on  the  North  School  street,  the  property  of  Charles  Paine,  as 
a  summer  home  for  the  children. 

The  following  year,  Mrs.  Mary  Butler  conditionally 
donated  a  tract  of  20  acres  of  land  bounded  by  Park  avenue, 
Washington  street  and  the  Niles  road,  on  which  a  substantial 
brick  building  flanked  by  spacious  verandas  was  erected  at  a 
cost  of  $14,000.00.  A  Vincentian  father  came  out  every  Sun- 
day from  Chicago  to  celebrate  holy  mass  and  minister  to  the 
religious  needs  of  the  small  community.  In  this  foundation, 
they  were  charitably  assisted  by  the  members  of  the  Catholic 
congregation. 

In  1903  the  Most  Rev.  Archbishop  Quigley  kindly  and 
generously  permitted  and  assisted  the  Passionist  Fathers  to 
found  a  house  of  the  order  within  the  archdiocese.  A  suitable 
place  was  secured  at  Norwood  Park  within  the  city  limits  of 
Chicago.  The  parochial  boundaries  included  Norwood  Park, 
Edison  Park,  Park  Ridge  and  Niles.  Mass  was  first  celebrated 
in  the  chapel  of  the  summer  home  of  St.  Vincent's  Asylum  on 
Sundays  for  the  congregation,  until  a  new  frame  church  had 


£71] 


been  built  and  dedicated  in  September,  1904,  at  Norwood 
Park.  To  this  church  the  Catholics  of  Edison  Park  and  Park 
Ridge  were  wont  to  go  to  assist  at  holy  mass  and  divine  ser' 
vice.  The  best  remembered  fathers  of  the  community  at  Nor- 
wood Park  are:  Felix  Ward,  Albert  Phelan,  Sebastian  Och- 
senreiter,  Philip  Birk,  Peter  Hanley  and  Michael  Klin&ng, 
R.  I.  P. 

On  June  20,  1911,  the  Very  Rev.  Father  Jerome  Reuter- 
man,  C.  P.  provincial  of  the  Western  province  of  the  Passion' 
ist  order,  addressed  a  meeting  of  the  parishioners,  in  the  home 
of  Mr.  A.  Susen,  and  announced  to  them  that  his  grace,  Arch- 
bishop Quigley,  Jiad  given  them  a  separate  status  as  a  congre- 
gation. Arrangements  were  at  once  made  for  holding  divine 
service  in  Park  Ridge  and  mass  was  celebrated  the  following 
Sunday,  June  25th,  in  the  Music  hall.  A  lot  was  fixed  upon 
66  x  150  feet  on  Park  avenue,  midway  between  Park  Ridge 
and  Edison  Park,  in  the  Root  subdivision,  as  a  central  site  for 
a  new  church. 

Mr.  Anthony  Susen,  proprietor  of  the  Phoenix  Steam 
Dye  House,  of  Chicago,  purchased  this  lot  and  generously 
deeded  it  to  the  Catholic  Bishop  of  Chicago  with  a  donation 
of  $500.00,  as  the  nucleus  of  a  building  fund.  Our  note- 
worthy benefactors  of  the  new  parish  were  Mr.  Michael 
Schiessle  and  Silas  B.  Carpenter,  who  installed  the  furnaces. 

On  Monday,  October  9,  1911,  the  first  turf  was  cut  for 
the  foundation  of  a  new  church  and  the  building  was  at  once 
begun.  The  patron  saint  chosen  for  the  new  congregation 
was  St.  Paul  of  the  Cross,  who  founded  the  Passionist  order 
in  the  eighteenth  century.     He  was  born  at  Ovada,  near 


[72] 


Genoa,  Italy,  in  1694,  died  in  1775,  and  was  canonised  in 
1869  by  Pope  Pius  IX.  The  church  is  of  frame  construction 
with  a  concrete  and  brick  foundation  and  stands  back  55  feet 
from  the  sidewalk.  The  style  of  architecture  throughout  is 
Roman. 

The  Rev.  Augustine  Scannell,  C.  P.  was  the  priest  in 
charge  until  it  was  turned  over  to  the  diocese  and  Cardinal 
Mundelein,  then  Bishop,  appointed  Father  Nawn. 


L73] 


HISTORY  OF  THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST, 
SCIENTIST, 

of  Park  Ridge  and  Edison  Park,  Illinois. 

In  the  spring  of  1897  two  Christian  Scientists,  residents 
of  Edison  Park,  Illinois,  met  each  week  to  read  Science  and 
health,  and  in  the  spring  of  1898  they  were  joined  by  three 
other  interested  students  and  the  reading  of  the  Bible  lessons 
after  the  manner  of  the  regular  Sunday  service  was  begun. 
These  inquirers  after  the  truth  were  soon  joined  by  others  who 
came  from  Park  Ridge,  and  the  work  steadily  progressed,  with 
acknowledgment  of  healings  as  a  result  of  these  services. 

The  regular  attendance  continued  to  increase,  until  it 
numbered  about  twenty,  and  in  1901  it  was  thought  advisable 
to  locate  a  hall,  where  Sunday  and  Wednesday  evening  meet' 
ings  could  be  held.  This  was  brought  about,  but  soon  a  neeed 
became  apparent  for  a  Christian  Science  organisation,  and  on 
July  25,  1902,  a  church  was  organised  with  twelve  members, 
under  the  corporate  name  of  First  church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
of  Park  Ridge  and  Edison  Park.  The  members  soon  increased 
to  twenty-two,  and  with  the  growing  interest,  came  a  demand 
for  a  church  home.  It  was  decided  to  erect  a  building  on  a 
lot  that  had  formerly  been  presented  to  the  little  circle,  this 
lot  being  located  between  Park  Ridge  and  Edison  Park. 

Before  any  decisive  steps  were  taken  there  was  a  proffer 
of  all  or  any  part  of  six  hundred  dollars  as  a  building  fund, 
which  was  the  amount  contemplated  for  the  humble  structure 
under  consideration.  This  was  accompanied  by  the  offer  of 
the  services  of  an  architect  and  with  joy  and  assurance  the  little 
band  went  forward.  Donations  of  all  kinds  rolled  in,  until 
the  amount  of  money  and  material  far  exceeded  the  fondest 
hopes  of  the  wokers.    Among  other  things  was  a  granite  block 


[74] 


St.   Paul   of  the    Cross,    Catholic   Church. 


St.  Paul  of  the  Cross  School,  located  on  the  T^orthwest  Highway, 
is  one  of  the  first  of  the  buildings  of  Par\  Ridge  to  catch  the 
attention  of  the  visitor  who  approaches  from  Chicago.  Surround' 
ings  and  building  are  both  attractive  and   the  school  itself  is  fully 

equipped    to    give   the    best    of   instruction   to    the    children    who    are 

its   pupils. 


[75] 


l*»Ms«r     CMVj^cV.    .- 


cw\\«%   *frt%n\iv     Vl 


Classic   Structure    Housing    Christian    Scientists    of  Par\   Ridge 
and    Edison   Par\. 


[76] 


from  Concord,  N.  H.  One  more  than  was  necessary  for  the 
completion  of  a  large  structure  in  Chicago  had  been  sent,  and 
through  the  architect,  who  was  acting  for  both  organizations, 
the  way  was  opened  for  the  transfer  of  the  much  prised  granite 
block,  to  the  smaller  church  property  to  be  used  as  a  corner 
stone.  The  bounty  of  infinite  love  was  plainly  discerned  in 
this  supply  of  our  need. 

After  the  impressive  service  at  the  laying  of  the  corner 
stone,  September  16,  1902,  those  present  were  greeted  by 
three  loyal  workers  from  the  Evanston  church,  who  came  with 
a  message  of  love  and  a  generous  contribution  to  the  building 
fund.  When  the  church,  simple  and  chaste  in  design,  remind- 
ing one  of  a  little  New  England  meetinghouse,  was  dedicated, 
October  12,  1902,  three  services  were  held,  each  one  being 
well  attended.  Valuation  of  the  building  was  placed  at  three 
thousand  dollars,  and  there  was  a  seating  capacity  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty.  Services  were  held  twice  a  week  until  Decem- 
ber, 1910,  when  the  structure  was  destroyed  by  fire  and  it 
became  necessary  to  rent  a  hall. 

In  October,  1912,  the  organization  purchased  a  lot  60  x 
100  feet  on  Park  avenue,  in  Park  Ridge,  for  fifteen  hundred 
dollars.  In  January,  1914,  plans  were  prepared  for  the  present 
structure;  ground  was  broken  on  July  6,  and  the  corner  stone, 
taken  from  the  former  church,  became  the  corner  stone  of  the 
new  church.  The  cost  of  the  present  building  was  about  eleven 
thousand  dollars.  It  has  a  seating  capacity  of  three  hundred 
and  fifty. 

Those  associated  with  the  building  of  the  present  edifice 
will  ever  be  grateful  for  the  unbroken  harmony  that  has  reigned 
in  their  united  efforts  for  the  cause  in  this  community. 

Being  free  of  debt,  the  present  structure  was  dedicated 
December  9,  1917,  three  services  being  held. 


[77] 


SERIOUS  AND  FRIVOLOUS  FACTS 

In  the  1890,s  the  Saturday  Evening  Cinch  Club  was  the 
elite  group  of  Park  Ridge.  Among  its  personnel  were  the 
Welles,  the  Pennys,  Stevensons,  Stockdales,  Cochrans,  the 
Dr.  Stantons,  the  Sam  Davis'  and  the  Phillipsons. 

Mr.  Phillipson  lived  in  the  house  now  occupied  by  Mat- 
thias Hanck,  the  jeweler,  and  designed  the  metal  work  used 
in  the  Chicago  World's  fair,  he  also  built  about  four  houses 
in  Park  Ridge. 

This  group  of  people  had  many  gay  times  together,  they 
first  met  and  played  cinch;  later  it  was  changed  to  a  whist 
club.  They  also  had  many  merry  sleighing  parties  where 
they  would  stop  at  Des  Plaines  for  an  oyster  supper. 

Mrs.  Fricke  was  the  doctor's  right Jhand  helper.  In  con- 
finement cases  where  assistance  could  not  be  had,  often,  could 
not  be  afforded,  she  would  take  charge  of  the  baby,  bathing 
and  caring  for  it  and  later  carried  soup  and  delicacies  to  the 
convalescent  mother.  In  accident  cases,  too,  she  often  had 
to  help  with  the  care  of  the  patient.  A  country  doctor's  wife, 
in  the  1880's  had  to  be  able  to  adjust  herself  to  many  tasks. 

Mrs.  Fricke  was  a  city  girl  and  was  so  lonely  when  she 
first  came  to  Park  Ridge  that  she  pulled  down  the  shades  of 
her  home,  as  all  that  was  visible  from  the  windows  was  prairie 
and  that  made  her  feel  quite  desolate. 


[78] 


HODGE'S  PARK 

The  ground  for  Hodge's  Park  was  given  to  Park  Ridge 
by  Leonard  Hodges,  one  of  the  first  subdividers,  at  the  same 
time  he  gave  the  land  across  the  street  to  the  Congregation- 
alists  to  build  what  is  now  Community  Church. 

Dr.  Fricke  planted  most  of  the  trees  in  the  park  and  Emma 
Fricke  (Mrs.  Wilking)  remembers  playing  in  the  park  when 
the  grass  was  as  high  as  her  waist. 

The  mound  of  rocks  interspersed  with  plants  in  the  middle 
of  the  park  has  very  interesting  associations.  The  rocks  are 
molten  relics  of  the  Chicago  fire;  bits  of  molten  stone,  brick 
and  plaster  that  were  hauled  out  here  by  a  teamster  and 
dumped  in  an  unsightly  pile  until  they  were  arranged  and 
plants  put  in  and  an  interesting  and  quaint  rockery  the  result. 


[79] 


ST.  LUKFS  ENGLISH  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 

In  the  month  of  September,  1914,  the  officials  of  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Synod  of  Northern  Illinois,  at  the  sug' 
gestion  of  Mr.  Louis  F.  Mueller,  then  a  resident  of  Park  Ridge, 
and  with  the  assistance  of  a  number  of  others,  made  a  religious 
canvass  of  Park  Ridge  to  find  out  the  number  of  people  inter* 
ested  in  an  English  Lutheran  church.  The  report  of  the  can' 
vass  indicated  that  there  was  a  field  in  Park  Ridge  for  a  Luth' 
eran  church  with  all  services  in  the  English  language.  Steps 
were  at  once  taken  to  start  the  new  church. 

In  the  middle  of  October,  1914,  announcement  was  made 
that  the  first  service  of  the  new  church  would  be  held  Sunday, 
October  25,  in  the  church  building  of  the  former  German 
Congregational  Church  on  Third  street.  At  10  A.  M.,  Octo' 
ber  25,  a  Sunday  school  was  started  with  the  names  of  three 
children  entered  on  the  roll.  Louis  F.  Mueller  was  appointed 
the  superintendent  of  the  new  Sunday  school.  At  3  P.  M. 
on  the  same  day  the  first  regular  service  of  worship  was  con' 
ducted  by  the  Rev.  John  F.  Seibert,  D.  D.,  who  was  then 
the  missionary  superintendent  of  the  Northern  Illinois  Synod. 
The  sermon  was  preached  by  the  president  of  the  synod,  the 
Rev.  John  M.  Bramkamp,  D.  D.  The  choir  of  Calvary  Luth' 
eran  Church,  Irving  Park,  rendered  able  assistance  in  the 
mus.rC  of  the  service. 


[80} 


Hodges    Par\ — Ground    Donated    in    1873. 


Fountain  in  Hodge's  Par\  presented  by 

the    Camp  fire    Girls    of  Par\ 

Ridge,   1926. 


[81] 


Rev.   Walter  D.    Slangier,    Paste 


Lu\e's      English      Lutheran     Church, 
South  Par\  and  Euclid  Avenues. 


[82] 


The  week  following  the  first  service  arrangements  were 
made  to  hold  services  regularly  each  Sunday  in  Clark's  Hall 
(now  Robinson's  Hall)  on  Prospect  avenue.  For  four  years 
this  hall  continued  to  be  the  regular  place  of  worship  for  the 
Park  Ridge  English  Lutheran  Church,  which,  on  the  day  of 
its  organisation  was  given  the  corporate  name  of  St.  Luke's 
English  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  Park  Ridge,  Illinois. 

From  its  beginning  in  the  autumn  of  1914  to  the  spring 
of  1915,  St.  Luke's  Church  was  served  by  supply  pastors  each 
Sunday.  At  the  end  of  May,  1915,  the  first  regular  pastor 
of  the  church  arrived  to  take  charge  of  the  work  of  the  parish. 
The  pastor  was  the  Rev.  Walter  D.  Spangler,  just  graduated 
from  the  Lutheran  Theological  Seminary  at  Gettysburg, 
Pennsylvania,  in  the  class  of  1915.  He  has  been  the  first  and 
only  pastor  of  St.  Luke's  to  date. 

St.  Luke's  Church  has  had  a  steady,  substantial  growth 
during  all  the  years  of  its  history.  Although  it  is  the  youngest 
church  in  Park  Ridge,  it  has  won  its  way  to  a  position  of 
influence  and  service  in  the  community  which  has  been  a 
decided  encouragement  to  all  those  who  have  labored  in  its 
various  departments  of  work. 

Clark's  Hall  served  its  purpose  well  as  a  temporary  place 
of  worship.  But  there  soon  arose  a  desire  in  the  parish  to  take 
the  first  step  in  the  direction  of  securing  a  permanent  church 
home.  Hence,  in  the  spring  of  1916  the  corner  lot  at  South 
Park  avenue  and  Euclid  avenue,  on  which  the  bungalow  church 
now  stands,  was  purchased.  The  coming  of  the  great  war 
delayed  the  erection  of  a  church  building.  But  in  the  year 
1918  the  need  of  a  regular  church  home  was  so  keenly  felt 
that  action  was  taken  to  erect  a  bungalow  church  which  was 
completed  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year. 


[83] 


The  parish  has  gradually  outgrown  this  cozy  home'like 
building,  until,  at  the  annual  business  meeting  of  the  church 
in  May,  1925,  the  first  definite  steps  were  taken  to  secure  a 
larger  building  to  provide  more  adequate  equipment  for  the 
church's  work.  In  June,  1926,  the  north-east  corner  of  North 
Prospect  avenue  and  Cedar  street  was  selected  as  the  site  for 
a  new  church  building.  The  new  site  is  large  enough  for  a 
complete  church  plant,  including  an  auditorium  for  worship, 
a  parish  house  for  social  and  recreational  activities  and  religious 
education,  and  a  parsonage  as  a  home  for  the  pastor  and 
family. 

As  a  part  of  the  social  life  of  the  church,  St.  Luke's  now 
has  the  assistance  of  Mrs.  A.  E.  Shibley  as  recreational  direc 
tor,  who  has  charge  of  the  religious  pageantry  and  dramatic 
work  in  the  parish.  Frequently  during  the  year  Bible  history 
will  be  dramatized.  This  is  right  in  line  with  the  new  emphasis 
of  the  church  on  the  fine  art  of  religious  drama. 

St.  Luke's  Church  is  here  to  serve  the  community  in  a 
practical  religious  way.  Some  of  its  ideals  have  been  stated 
in  this:  "A  church  with  the  faith  of  our  fathers;  a  church 
for  the  community;  a  church  with  a  world  vision."  St.  Luke's 
is  officially  connected  with  the  United  Lutheran  Church  in 
America. 


[84] 


BASEBALL 

Someone  has  said  that  America  and  baseball  met  each 
other  when  they  were  young  and  grew  up  together.  "Doc" 
Wintersteen  tells  us  that  in  1904,  Mr.  Stone  organised  what 
was  called  'The  Rover  Athletic  Club."  Mr.  Stone  was  an 
ordained  minister  of  the  Episcopal  mission.  The  boys  played 
baseball  until  1907,  when  a  ball  park  was  planned  right  across 
from  the  Silberman  home — they  raised  $500  with  which  to 
build  a  grand  stand.    Out  of  the  43  games  played  they  won  37. 

Every  boy  wants  to  be  a  ball  player  and  a  good  one,  very 
well,  practice  will  do  it.  Play  ball  and  play  it  often — "Doc" 
says  play. 


U 


SERIOUS  AND  FRIVOLOUS  FACTS 

Gustav  Steiner,  the  best  hunter  hereabouts,  supplied  Dr. 
Fricke  and  his  young  wife  with  all  kinds  of  wild  game,  quail, 
prairie  chicken,  partridge,  wild  pigeon,  skunks,  raccoon,  sil- 
ver fox,  rabbit,  etc.,  about  1875. 

In  1876  when  Dr.  Fricke  purchased  the  house  he  now 
occupies,  the  only  houses  south  of  the  tracks,  besides  that,  were 
the  Penny  house,  now  occupied  by  Dr.  Noyes,  an  old  farm 
house,  now  occupied  by  Dr.  Friend,  the  unfinished  Congre- 
gational Church  and  Sam  Cummings'  house. 

Fred  Stagg  has  been  a  member  of  the  Park  Ridge  Fire 
department  continuously  for  about  twenty-four  years. 


[»n 


CHIEF  OF  POLICE 
CHARLES  DUWEUS  OWN  STORY 

When  I  first  stepped  off  the  Chicago  &  North  Western 
train  at  the  depot  in  Park  Ridge,  August  12th,  1874,  the  scene 
which  greeted  my  eyes  was  far  different  from  that  presented 
today. 

In  the  first  place  the  little  brick  depot  was  situated  about 
six  feet  west  of  Prospect  Avenue.  There  were  corn  fields, 
grain  fields  and  farming  lands  where  the  Prospect  Avenue 
school  grounds  are  now.  The  freight  depot  was  on  the  other 
side  of  the  railroad  near  Prospect. 

There  was  not  a  soul  in  sight  but  Sam  Cummings,  the 
depot  agent.  Park  Ridge  at  this  time  was  very  small,  with 
a  population  estimated  at  between  175  and  200.  The  business 
district  was  located  on  Park  Avenue  and  consisted  of  a  couple 
of  stores  and  a  blacksmith  shop.  Charles  Stebbings  had  a 
store  at  11  North  Park  Avenue,  where  the  G.  N.  Grigsby  & 
Company  Real  Estate  firm  is  now  located. 

Charles  Kobow  and  Rudolph  Brunst  also  had  a  store  in 
the  Park  Avenue  district  and  blacksmith  Miller's  shop,  where 
the  bandstand  is  now  located,  completed  the  list  of  business 
places,  except  for  the  brick  yard  on  the  other  side  of  Elm 
street,  where  the  bricks  were  made  by  hand. 

The  first  brick  house  built  in  Chicago  was  made  of  Park 
Ridge  manufacture,  hand  made  brick. 

There  was  a  clay  pool  where  the  clay  used  in  making 
brick  was  dug  out  on  what  is  now  Grand  Boulevard.  This 
was  used  in  those  days  as  a  swimming  pool  and  fishing  ground, 
as  boys  must  always  have  their  recreation  spot. 

There  were  a  large  group  of  little  shanties  put  up  for 
the  brick  makers,  strung  along  Elm  Street  between  Meacham 
and  Park  Avenue  and  along  Park  Avenue  between  Meacham 
and  Elm.     On  what  is  now  Center  Street,  were  old  farm 


[86] 


houses  and  barns  shingled  with  slew  hay — something  rarely 
seen  anywhere  today. 

In  the  early  days  the  4th  of  July  celebrations  were  held 
where  Busse's  Garage  and  RolofFs  hardware  store  are  now 
located,  in  what  was  then  an  apple  orchard. 

When  I  first  came  to  Park  Ridge  I  worked  for  a  time 
in  the  brick  yard  and  then  on  the  Walter  Ziuewitz  farm, 
which  used  to  be  known  as  the  old  Brown  place. 

From  1874  to  1892  the  Village  administration  consisted 
of  a  president  and  a  Board  of  Trustees  with  a  town  Marshall 
in  charge  of  law  enforcement.  The  police  were  a  volunteer 
force  similar  to  the  fire  department  of  the  present  day,  a  num- 
ber of  local  citizens  wore  stars  and  were  subject  to  call  at 
any  hour  of  day  or  night. 

In  1892  I  began  to  work  on  the  police  force  of  Park 
Ridge  where  I  have  been  working  ever  since.  At  that  time 
Charlie  More  was  police  captain  and  Claus  Hamer  and  my 
self  cvonstituted  the  entire  force.  I  had  123  kerosene  street 
lamps  to  light  before  going  on  duty  each  night  and  then  my 
share  of  the  village  to  cover  after  that.  The  salary  at  that 
time  was  $45  a  month. 

In  1901  I  was  appointed  chief  of  Police  of  Park  Ridge 
and  am  still  serving  in  that  capacity. 


T87  ] 


THE  PARK  RIDGE  WOMAN'S  CLUB 

The  Park  Ridge  Woman's  Club  was  organized  in  1894, 
at  that  time  it  was  called  the  Tuesday  Literary  Club.  The 
first  president  and  one  of  the  active  leaders  in  its  early  years 
was  Mrs.  Z.  D.  Root,  and  for  a  number  of  years  her  home 
was  the  regular  meeting  place  for  the  club.  In  1901  the 
name  was  changed  to  the  Park  Ridge  Woman's  Club.  It  is 
affiliated  with  the  Illinois  Federation  of  Woman's  Clubs  and 
the  General  Federation.     It  was  incorporated  in  1920. 

THE  PARK  RIDGE  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATION 

The  organization  of  the  Park  Ridge  Improvement  Asso- 
ciation took  place  in  May,  1912.  At  the  time  of  its  organi' 
zation  there  were  but  thirty'three  members,  and  of  those  origi- 
nal members  only  eight  are  on  the  membership  list  now.  This 
association,  too,  is  affiliated  with  the  State  and  General  Feder- 
ation of  Woman's  Clubs. 

These  two  woman's  clubs  and  a  branch  of  the  Woman's 
City  Club  fulfil  all  needs  of  the  average  club- woman. 

Other  organizations  in  Park  Ridge  are: 
The  Commercial  Men's  Association. 
A  branch  of  the  Infant  Welfare. 
A  Kiwanis  Club. 
Community  Council. 
The  Parent-Teachers"  Association. 
The  Masonic  Lodge. 
The  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star. 
The  Royal  League. 
Boy  Scouts. 
Girl  Scouts. 
Camp  Fire  Girls. 
A  Building  and  Loan  association. 
A  Welfare  board. 
The  American  Legion. 
The  American  Legion  Auxiliary. 


[88] 


TO 


X 


61 


o 


■o, 


[  89 


Rev.    Orvis    F.    Jordan,    Pastor    of 
Community     Church. 


Community    Church. 


[90] 


CHURCHES 

Very  early  in  the  history  of  the  pioneers  we  find  them 
interested  in  the  religious  welfare  of  themselves  and  their 
families,  and  as  the  churches  form  the  background  of  society 
in  Park  Ridge,  the  history  of  each  and  every  church  is  essential 
to  the  history  of  the  growth  of  the  community. 

As  the  present  Community  Church  is  the  oldest  body  of 
organized  worshippers  in  the  town,  the  following  is  a  careful, 
comprehensive  history  of  its  growth: 

HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE  PARK  RIDGE  COM- 
MUNITY CHURCH  18414926 

Although  Park  Ridge  Community  Church  is,  in  one  sense, 
quite  young  —  having  existed  in  its  present  form  less  than 
ten  years  —  in  another  sense  it  is  quite  old,  being  a  contin- 
uation of  an  organization  formed  by  the  pioneers  in  this  sec- 
tion many  years  ago.  Its  history  is  the  story  of  a  church  with 
a  passion  for  unity,  as  evidenced  by  the  various  experiments 
in  that  direction  at  intervals  throughout  its  life.  The  old  rec- 
ords, written  in  an  old-fashioned  hand,  and  yellowed  by  time, 
are  perhaps  the  earliest  account  of  organized  community  life 
in  this  region.  Prefixed  to  these  formal  records,  and  in  the 
same  handwriting,  is  this  unsigned  account  of  the  origin  of 
this  organization. 

"In  the  summer  of  1841,  some  families  having  located  in 
the  portion  of  Monroe  precinct  on  or  near  the  Des  Plaines 
river,  who  were  members  of  churches  of  several  denomina' 
tions,  and  being  without  church  organization  or  ministerial 
leaders,  or  even  a  school-house  for  their  accommodation;  some' 
how  without  much  concert  or  prearrangement,  would  find 
themselves  together  —  perhaps  by  some  kind  of  religious 
instinct  —  for  the  purpose  of  public  worship  on  the  Sabbath. 
So  they  continued  to  meet,  sometimes  reading  a  good  sermon 


[91] 


with  prayer  and  singing;  sometimes  spending  the  season  in 
prayer,  conference  and  singing;  and  found  it  good  thus  to 
wait  upon  the  Lord  and  'remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep 
it  holy\  Sometimes  traveling  preachers  would  call  and  spend 
the  Sabbath,  and  leave  the  little,  struggling  group  greatly 
refreshed  and  strengthened.  In  this  way  they  continued  to 
work  and  worship  together,  the  little  congregation  gradually 
increasing  until  a  schoolhouse  was  built  on  Smith's  ridge.  It 
was  thought  very  convenient,  and  being  small,  was  generally 
well  filled/1 

"This  little  community  now  began  to  attract  attention 
and  were  frequently  favored  with  a  visit  and  a  discourse  from 
a  preacher  of  some  denomination;  and  as  they  had  a  number 
of  good  singers,  the  Sabbath  services  were  made  quite  attrac- 
tive.  Particularly  so  as  about  this  time  (1842)  a  very  inter- 
esting Sunday  school  was  organised.  This  was  thought  to 
be  a  great  advance  in  the  moral  state  of  affairs,  and  contrib- 
uted  largely  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  little  band  of  workers. 
In  this  gradual  manner,  without  any  sudden  transition,  change 
after  change  arrived  till  the  question  of  church  organisation 
began  to  be  discussed,  which  soon  resulted  in  the  organisation 
of  a  Congregational  church,  as  found  in  the  following  record." 

The  first  record  is  dated  January  twenty-second,  1843, 
and  states  that:  "At  a  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  Monroe 
precinct,  professors  of  religion,  who  have  removed  from  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  country,  Rev.  Mr.  Wells  being  present, 
resolved  unanimously  that  it  is  expedient  to  organise  a  church 
in  this  place.  Meeting  adjourned  to  meet  again  at  the  school- 
house  on  Saturday,  February  fourth,  at  one  o'clock  P.  M. 
Closed  with  prayer  by  Mr.  Wells." 


[92] 


The  meeting  was  held  at  the  appointed  time,  articles  of 
faith,  practice  and  covenant  were  adopted;  and  the  Monroe 
Congregational  Church  was  organized.  There  were  fifteen 
members,  and  Curtis  Clark  was  elected  deacon  and  John  C. 
Clark  was  chosen  clerk.  Rev.  B.  B.  Drake  —  a  home  mission' 
ary  pastor  from  the  Congregational  Church  at  Elk  Grove  — 
also  Rev.  E.  E.  Wells  were  present. 

The  names  of  the  fifteen  original  members  were  as  fol" 
lows:  Curtis  Clark,  Electa  Clark,  John  C.  Clark,  Asa  Clark, 
Mrs.  Sarah  Brooks,  Mrs.  Perlina  Richmond,  Mrs.  Hannah 
Sweeney,  Mrs.  Naomi  Ferguson,  Joseph  Lovat,  John  Sweeney, 
Susana  Sweeney,  William  H.  Bishop,  Mrs.  Sarah  Bishop,  Mrs. 
Eliza  Sherman,  Miss  Emily  J.  Ferguson. 

"On  the  Sabbath,  February  fifth,  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  was  administered  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Wells  and 
Drake.'" 

Some  of  the  "articles  of  faith  and  practice"  sound  a 
little  odd  to  our  ears;  as,  for  example,  the  rules  for  observance 
of  the  Sabbath: 

"The  following  things  are  prohibited:  All  secular  labor 
in  seed-time  and  harvest,  and  in  all  other  seasons  of  the  year. 
The  prosecution  of  journeys;  visiting,  either  individuals,  fami- 
lies, or  connections  (except  in  case  of  sickness  or  death). 
Conversation  about  temporal  avocations,  or  news,  calling  at 
post  office  for  letters  or  newspapers,  and  reading  papers  not 
of  a  religious  character,  and  all  other  similar  employments." 

Equally  quaint  in  expression,  but  an  excellent  rule  for 
our  consideration,  is  the  one  concerning  evil  speaking:  "We 
believe  the  practice  of  making  unfavorable  insinuations  about 
members,  conversing  about  injurious  reports  that  may  be  in 
circulation,  or  mentioning  the  faults  of  brethren  to  persons  to 


[93] 


whom  such  faults  are  unknown,  unless  it  is  unavoidable  in 
prosecuting  a  cause  before  the  proper  judicatory,  or  the  per- 
formance of  some  other  indispensable  duty,  is  distinctly  con- 
trary to  the  duties  of  brotherly  love.  We  believe  that  instead 
of  this  practice  the  rule  in  Matthew  18  should  be  strictly 
observed." 

Church  members  also  pledged  themselves  not  to  manu- 
facture, vend,  or  use  ardent  spirits,  except  for  medical  or 
manufacturing  purposes. 

These  things  show  that  these  pioneer  people,  like  the 
Puritans  of  an  earlier  generation,  though  they  might  have  been 
narrow  in  some  ways,  were  yet  men  of  high  principles  and 
earnest  purpose. 

A  word  of  explanation  of  the  term  Monroe  precinct,  may 
be  necessary.  The  present  division  of  Cook  County  into  town- 
ships was  not  effected  until  1850;  previously,  each  congres- 
sional district  was  divided  into  two  voting  precincts.  Monroe 
precinct  comprised  Leyden  township,  the  west  half  of  Jeffer- 
son township,  and  a  part  of  Maine.  The  schoolhouse  which 
is  mentioned  as  the  first  house  of  worship  stood  south  of  what 
is  now  Norwood  Park  on  the  Higgins  road  very  near  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Union  Ridge  Cemetery.  The  congregation  was 
much  scattered,  many  of  the  people  living  around  what  is  now 
Norwood  Park,  Dunning,  and  Koke;  and  others  in  this  neigh- 
borhood and  north  and  west  of  here.  However,  the  distance 
to  be  traveled  was  not  as  great  as  might  be  imagined,  for  there 
were  few  roads  and  no  fences.  When  one  wished  to  go  any- 
where, he  saddled  his  horse  and  took  a  straight  course  across 
the  prairie;  unless,  indeed,  the  season  happened  to  be  a  wet 
one,  in  which  case  he  might  have  to  go  a  mile  or  so  around 
to  avoid  a  slough. 


[94] 


There  was  no  Congregational  church  in  Chicago  at 
that  time,  and  in  July,  1843,  Monroe  Church  applied  for  menr 
bership  in  the  Fox  River  Union  under  whose  wing  it  remained 
until  1868,  at  which  time  it  joined  the  Chicago  Congregational 
Association.  I  believe  that  Monroe  Church  will  be  found 
to  be  the  first  Congregational  church  organised  in  Cook  County 
that  is  still  in  existence. 

Mr.  Wells  was  succeeded  in  1844  by  Rev.  C.  R.  French, 
and  Rev.  A.  W.  Henderson  came  in  1847. 

Some  of  the  early  settlers  who  became  members  of  this 
church  were:  Dr.  Silas  Meacham  and  family,  Joseph  Gibbs  and 
family,  C.  A.  Hawley,  Frederick  Brooks,  Tilton  French,  George 
McKinney,  Fred  A.  Root,  Jacob  Kline  and  family,  William 
Mather  and  family,  Anson  Tyler  Hemingway  and  wife,  Mrs. 
Sarah  Lee,  Clarissa  Jefferson,  John  Calef,  A.  D.  Rowley. 

In  July,  1848,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  home  of  Dr. 
Silas  Meacham  to  organize  a  Congregational  society,  the  object 
of  which  was  "To  assist  in  the  support  of  the  institutions  and 
ordinances  of  the  Monroe  Congregational  Church."  All  per- 
sons were  entitled  to  vote  in  this  society  who  habitually 
attended  the  services  of  the  church  and  who  contributed  to  its 
support  not  less  than  one  dollar  a  year,  provided  they 
had  reached  the  age  of  eighteen  years.  Officers  of  the  society 
were  three  trustees,  a  clerk,  and  a  treasurer.  There  seems 
to  have  been  no  other  church  in  the  vicinity,  and  a  variety  of 
religious  faiths  were  represented  in  this  society,  the  members 
of  which  were  thus  given  a  voice  in  the  temporal  affairs  of 
the  church,  although  they  were  not  members  of  the  church 
itself.  This  probably  explains  why  many  old  residents  think 
of  this  organization  as  having  been  a  union  church.  Having 
adopted  a  constitution  and  chosen  Anson  Goodspeed,  Curtis 
Clark  and  John  Jeffrey  as  trustees,  and  Silas  Meacham  clerk, 
the  society  immediately  went  to  work  to  raise  money  to  build 
a  house  of  worship. 


[95] 


A  great  many  of  the  early  residents  had  come  from  New 
York,  and  their  friends  back  home  were  evidently  appealed  to 
for  help  in  raising  funds  for  the  building,  for  the  records  show 
that  about  eighty  dollars  was  raised  in  New  York  city  and 
Brooklyn  for  that  purpose.  Building  materials  were  also 
donated  by  Chicago  firms.  A  site  was  found  for  the  church 
between  the  homes  of  Silas  Meacham  and  Curtis  Clark.  The 
surveyor's  description  of  this  location  is  given  in  the  records. 
This  site  was  at  the  place  where  now  Dee  road  intersects 
Talcott  road,  and  is  marked  by  a  clump  of  locust  trees.  A 
building  was  erected,  and  although  it  was  never  finished  inside, 
was  used  for  church  purposes  for  several  years.  Later  it  was 
sold  to  Thomas  Robb  for  two  hundred  dollars.  Colonel  Robb 
moved  the  building  to  his  place  and  made  it  over  into  a  resi' 
dence.  Until  1909  this  house  stood  on  North  Prospect  ave' 
nue,  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  home  of  Mrs.  Caw 
thorne.  It  was  a  plain  frame  house,  the  front  entrance  and 
the  windows  being  the  only  suggestion  of  a  simple  form  of 
church  architecture.  The  reason  for  selling  this  church  prop' 
erty  seems  to  have  been  as  follows:  In  the  year  1854  the 
Chicago  and  North  Western  Railroad  was  laid  through  this 
region  and  about  the  same  time  Messrs.  Penny  and  Meacham 
started  a  brick  yard  here.  This  business  grew  and  gave  employ 
ment  to  quite  a  number  of  people,  and  a  little  town  grew  up 
around  it  which  was  first  called  Pennyville  and  later  Brickton. 
Brickton  soon  became  the  center  of  population  of  the  district, 
so  that  the  little  church  in  the  woods  was  conveniently  located, 
and  having  sold  the  building,  the  Congregational  Church  of 
Brickton  held  its  meetings  in  a  schoolhouse  that  was  located 
on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  water  works.  In  1856  the 
Congregational  Society  set  on  foot  a  plan  to  build  a  Union 
church  in  Brickton,  which  did  not  mature.  Shortly  after  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Brickton  was  started.    Under 


[96] 


date  of  April,  1858,  we  find  the  following  record:  "Resolved 
that  the  kind  resolutions  of  the  M.  E.  church,  inviting  us 
to  the  free  use  of  their  house  every  alternate  Sabbath  A.  M. 
during  the  conference  year,  is  gratefully  acknowledged  and 
accepted,  and  we  pledge  ourselves  to  contribute  liberally  as 
occasion  may  require  to  defray  the  contingent  expenses." 

In  1859  the  Congregational  Society  again  planned  to 
erect  a  place  of  worship,  and  decided  upon  a  site  near  the 
Canfield  Depot  —  Canfield  having  been  the  former  name  of 
Edison  Park.  Materials  were  purchased  and  plans  outlined  for 
the  erection  of  a  building  thirty-six  by  fifty-two  feet.  But,  for 
some  unexplained  reason,  their  plans  were  abandoned  and  for 
some  years  the  records  are  very  sparse  and  the  church  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  very  active.  Several  reasons  for  this 
inactivity  may  be  advanced:  the  organisation  of  a  Congrega- 
tional Church  in  Jefferson  Park  occasioned  the  dismissal  of 
some  of  the  most  active  members  to  that  Church;  the  Clark 
family  moved  to  Minnesota  leaving  the  Church  still  further 
depleted.  The  financial  stringency  of  the  times  and  final  out- 
break of  the  Civil  War  checked  all  organised  efforts  for  several 
years.  Though  the  records  give  no  account  of  religious  activi- 
ties through  these  troubled  years,  old  residents  say  that  the 
Congregationalists  worshipped  with  the  Methodists,  and  that 
all  the  women  met  together  to  roll  bandages  for  the  wounded 
soldiers.  Not  until  1868  were  the  services  of  the  Brickton 
Congregational  Church  resumed.  At  this  time  there  seems 
to  have  been  a  revival  of  interest.  Rev.  J.  E.  Roy  of  the 
Congregational  Home  Missionary  Society  met  with  the  Church 
on  April  twenty-fifth  of  that  year;  a  number  of  new  members 
were  received;  the  constitution  was  revised  and  meetings  were 
held — at  first  every  four  weeks — in  the  M.  E.  Church.  In 
September  of  the  same  year  the  Congregational  Society  was 
also  revived,  and  Rev.  J.  H.  Laird,  of  Fairfield,  Ohio,  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  "at  a  salary  of  three  hundred  dollars 


[97  ] 


per  annum  and  a  house  to  live  in".  Arrangements  were  made 
with  the  school  directors  whereby  the  Church  was  to  have 
the  use  of  the  upper  room  of  the  new  school  house  (Grant 
Place  school),  as  a  place  of  worship  with  the  understanding 
that  the  Society  "Pay  the  District  twentysix  dollars  a  year, 
and  keep  and  leave  the  room  as  clean  and  in  as  good  repair 
as  they  find  it,  and  pay  for  their  proportion  of  coal  if  they 
use  the  furnace."  A  collection  was  taken  to  help  pay  for 
lumber  and  nails  for  seats  and  pulpit,  the  labor  being  donated 
by  members  of  the  congregation. 

Mr.  Laird  preached  in  Des  Plaines  on  Sunday  after' 
noons,  and,  in  October,  1869,  the  pastor  and  other  members 
of  the  Church  participated  in  the  organization  of  the  Congre- 
gational  Church  of  Des  Plaines.  In  October  1870  we  read — 
"It  was  voted  that  the  school  teacher  or  directors  be  asked 
to  close  the  school  next  Tuesday  as  the  Chicago  Congrega- 
tional Association  is  to  meet  in  our  audience  room  on  that 
day." 

In  1873  the  Church  again  began  making  plans  to  build, 
and  after  considering  several  sites  it  was  decided  to  accept 
the  offer  of  Mr.  Leonard  Hodges  to  donate  a  lot  on  the  South 
end  of  the  Park.  Subscriptions  were  raised,  and  with  the 
assistance  of  the  Congregational  Church  Building  Society  the 
present  building  was  erected  in  1874  but  not  furnished  for 
use  until  1876.  During  the  two  years  of  its  building,  ser 
vices  were  held  in  Hodges'  Hall  which  occupied  the  site  of 
the  present  Gillick  Block.  In  1873  the  Church  changed  its 
name  to  harmonise  with  that  of  the  town  and  was  thereafter 
known  as  the  First  Congregational  Church  of  Park  Ridge. 

Mr.  Laird  was  succeeded  as  pastor  by  Mr.  Webber  who 
also  preached  at  Des  Plaines.  From  1874  to  1885  the  pulpit 
was  filled  by  a  number  of  pastors.    The  Rev.  George  Colman 


[98] 


came  in  1886  and  remained  five  years.  During  this  pastorate 
The  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor  was  organ- 
ized  (1887).  Mr.  Colman  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  C.  S. 
Leeper  in  1891.  In  1894  steps  were  taken  looking  toward 
enlarging  the  Church  building  and  otherwise  improving  the 
property;  but  the  sudden  death  of  the  pastor  put  a  stop  to 
these  plans.  Rev.  F.  D.  Burhans  was  the  next  pastor.  He 
was  a  student  in  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary  and  was 
ordained  in  this  church.  From  1896  to  1912  the  church  was 
served  by  Dr.  A.  F.  Sherrill,  Rev.  J.  W.  Welsh,  Rev.  B.  F. 
Root,  Rev.  B.  W.  Burleigh,  Rev.  C.  J.  Sage,  Rev.  William  H. 
Ziegler,  Rev.  W.  C.  Boyd. 

It  was  after  Mr.  Boyd's  resignation  and  while  the  church 
was  discussing  what  should  be  the  next  move,  that  a  sugges- 
tion,  made  by  L.  C.  Dole,  culminated  in  the  next  experi- 
ment  in  church  union,  the  federation  of  the  Methodist  and 
Congregational  churches.  Mr.  Dole's  first  proposition  was 
that  the  two  churches  unite  and  form  a  union  church;  he  had 
been  talking  with  some  of  the  Methodist  brethren,  and  had 
found  them  like  minded.  In  1913,  after  many  conferences 
between  representatives  of  the  two  churches  and  with  the  offi- 
cials  of  both  denominations,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Chicago 
Co-operative  Council  of  City  Missions,  a  plan  of  federation 
was  adopted.  Each  church  was  to  retain  its  identity,  merging 
its  public  worship  and  the  activities  of  the  constituent  societies. 
Rev.  J.  L.  Dickson  was  pajstor  of  the  Methodist  Church  at  this 
time,  and  he  became  the  unanimous  choice  of  the  Federated 
churches  as  their  pastor. 

This  federation  was  in  operation  four  years,  the  members 
of  the  two  churches  working  together  in  the  utmost  harmony. 
Such  was  the  interest  shown,  and  such  the  growth  of  the 
churches  and  the  affiliated  societies  that  the  need  of  a  more 
commodious  building  began  to  be  pressing.  Several  sites  for 
a  new  church  building  were  available,  and  it  was  necessary 


[99] 


to  work  out  a  plan  for  the  ownership  of  the  property  which 
would  be  equitable  to  both  churches,  the  manner  of  such  hold- 
ings being  essentially  different  in  the  two  denominations. 
Although  the  board  of  directors  and  the  pastor,  Rev.  Albertus 
Perry,  worked  hard  upon  the  problem,  no  acceptable  solution 
was  found.  The  matter  was  finally  brought  to  a  crux  by  the 
pronouncement  of  Bishop  Nicholson  that  "No  funds  belonging 
to  a  Methodist  church  can  be  used  for  the  building  of  a  feder- 
ated or  union  church;  and  that,  furthermore,  according  to  the 
laws  of  the  church,  he,  the  bishop,  must  appoint  a  Methodist 
minister  every  year."  The  building  of  a  church  being,  there- 
fore, impossible,  and  plans  for  expansion  at  a  standstill,  disso- 
lution of  the  federation  became  inevitable.  At  a  meeting  of 
the  congregation  of  the  federated  churches  held  March  twenty- 
ninth,  1917,  resolutions  were  passed  "regretting  the  necessity 
of  dissolving  the  federation  and  asking  that  the  board  of  direc- 
tors handle  the  details  of  separation  in  such  a  way  that  the 
spirit  of  fellowship  and  goodwill  existing  between  the  two 
churches  shall  continue  in  the  future  as  it  has  in  the  past." 
It  was  further  resolved  "That  since  we  believe  the  cause  of 
Christ  in  Park  Ridge  can  best  be  served  by  the  close  affiliation 
of  all  the  various  Protestant  believers  in  a  single,  local,  self- 
governing  group,  we  proceed  to  organise  The  Park  Ridge  Com- 
munity Church."  At  another  meeting  held  on  April  seven- 
teenth a  constitution  and  covenant  were  adopted  and  officers 
elected  for  the  ensuing  year.  A  little  later  Rev.  J.  R.  Stead 
of  Galva,  Illinois,  accepted  the  call  to  the  pastorate.  A  man 
of  deep  spiritual  insight  and  broad  vision,  Mr.  Stead  proved 
to  be  a  wise  leader.  Great  enthusiasm  marked  every  phase  of 
the  work  of  the  new  organisation.  It  was  hoped  that  a  com- 
munity house  might  be  erected  very  soon,  but  owing  to  our 
entrance  into  the  World  war,  this  hope  was  deferred  to  a 
more  favorable  time.  Some  needed  repairs  and  alterations 
were  made  upon  the  existing  building. 


C  100 


After  about  two  years  Mr.  Stead's  health  became  im- 
paired,  and  Benjamin  Baltzer,  a  student  at  the  Chicago  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  was  engaged  to  assist  him.  This  arrange- 
ment worked  well  for  a  time,  but  Mr.  Stead  was  finally  obliged 
to  retire  from  the  active  ministry.  The  Rev.  Noble  Strong 
Elderkin  was  the  next  pastor.  Dr.  Elderkin  did  not  take  up 
his  residence  in  Park  Ridge,  and  Mr.  Baltzer  was  retained  as 
pastoral  assistant.  After  a  short  but  notable  pastorate  Dr. 
Elderkin  accepted  the  call  of  a  large  Congregational  church 
in  Duluth,  Minnesota. 

Dr.  Charles  Clayton  Morrison,  the  militant  editor  of  the 
Christian  Century,  was  the  next  pastor,  Mr.  Baltzer  assisting. 
Dr.  Morrison  preached  with  great  acceptability  for  two  years; 
the  church  had,  however,  begun  to  feel  the  need  of  a  resident 
pastor.  Rev.  O.  F.  Jordan,  pastor  of  the  Christian  Church  of 
Evanston,  Illinois,  was  called  in  May,  1922.  Under  his  able 
leadership  the  church  has  had  a  healthy  growth.  In  1924 
plans  began  to  be  discussed  for  a  Sunday  school  building  to 
house  the  social  and  educational  life  of  the  church.  The  next 
year  saw  work  on  the  new  building  started,  and  the  corner- 
stone was  laid  on  March  first,  1925. 

Community  Church  is  the  logical  culmination  of  the  many 
efforts  through  the  years  to  attain  church  unity.  It  is  inde- 
pendent, interdenominational  and  progressive.  It  sets  up  no 
arbitrary  creed  which  must  be  subscribed  to,  but  opens  wide 
its  arms  to  men  and  women  of  all  faiths  who  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ  and  wish  to  work  together  in  His  name  for  a  better 
community. 

Mary  M.  Perkins. 


[101] 


ART  AND  ARTISTS  IN  PARK  RIDGE 

Park  Ridge  has  ever  been  a  haven  for  artists.  In  the 
early  part  of  the  twentieth  century  quite  a  colony  of  artists 
and  workers  along  artistic  lines  was  formed. 

For  some  time  the  Welles  had  the  workshop  of  the 
famous  Kalo  shop  in  Park  Ridge. 

The  Clutes,  with  their  fine  sense  of  hospitality,  were  a 
means  of  keeping  this  little  colony  in  close  sympathy.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Pattison  for  some  years  were  with  them. 
Mr.  Paulding  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Krehbiel  were  of  that  group 
and  we  are  fortunate  in  having  them  with  us  still.  The 
Albights  and  Leonard  Crunelle,  although  in  Edison  Park, 
were  so  close  at  hand  that  they  are  considered  of  the  group. 

Mr.  lanelli  is  a  much  more  recent  addition. 


102  | 


SERIOUS  AND  FRIVOLOUS  FACTS 

Previous  to  1900  our  telephone  exchange  was  over  Stely 
bings'  store,  corner  Prospect  and  Summitt  avenues.  Mrs. 
Russell  was  the  operator.  This  was  a  toll  station  and  if  a 
person  was  called  a  messenger  was  dispatched  to  summon  him. 
Dr.  Woodworth  had  the  first  private  telephone — his  number 
was  one  (1). 


m 


DO  YOU  REMEMBER  WAY  BACK  WHEN— 

Emma  Fricke  (Mrs.  Wilking)  was  one  of  the  prettiest 
brides  ever  married  in  Community  Church? 

A  cyclone  on  May  3,  1894,  blew  the  roof  off  a  building 
in  the  course  of  construction  on  Center  street  and  killed  a 
workman? 

The  George  B.  Carpenter  family  were  the  moving  spirits 
in  Park  Ridge? 

That  land  occupied  by  the  Park  Ridge  Country  Club 
was  Robbs'  Park  and  was  an  ideal  place  for  picnics  and  out' 

ings  of  all  sorts? 

Norwood  Park  was  called  "Sand  Ridge"? 
C.  E.  Stebbings  ran  the  "general"  store? 
Mr.  Rudolph  Brunst  was  leader  of  the  band? 


[103] 


ELECTRIC  HALL 

The  lower  floor  of  Electric  Hall  contained  dynamos  sup' 
plying  electricity  to  Park  Ridge,  Edison  Park,  Norwood  Park 
and  Jefferson  Park.  The  building  was  erected  by  Mr.  Phillip' 
son  and  the  plant  operated  under  his  direction  until  he  turned 
it  over  to  Mr.  Schiessle  who  in  time  sold  it  to  the  North 
Shore  Electric  Co.  now  merged  into  the  Public  Service  Co.  of 
Northern  Illinois. 

The  upper  floor  was  used  for  all  large  social  festivities, 
public  meetings  and  church  services  and  as  it  was  the  only 
hall  available  at  that  time  it  was  the  scene  of  all  large  public 
gatherings. 

In  1886  the  estimated  population  of  the  towns  lying  along 
the  Wisconsin  division  of  the  Northwestern,  including  Irving 
Park,  Montrose,  Jefferson  Park,  Norwood  Park,  Park  Ridge 
and  Des  Plaines  was  5,000. 


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Electric  Hall— 1899. 


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St.    Marys    Ebiscobal    Church.     Beautiful    and    dignified    structure. 
Southwest    corner    Prospect    and    Crescent    Avenues. 


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St.   Mary's  Mission.    For  some   years  place   of   worship   for  those   of 

Episcopal  faith    of   Par\   Ridge.     First   location    northeast   corner   of 

Prospect   and    Crescent    Avenues. 


106 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  MARTS  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 
OF  PARK  RIDGE 

St.  Mary's  parish  was  organized  as  a  mission  in  Febru- 
ary, 1895.  During  the  summer  of  1890,  the  Rev.  W.  J. 
Richmond,  of  Irving  Park,  held  occasional  services  at  Park 
Ridge  on  Sunday  afternoons,  in  the  Congregational  Church  or 
at  the  school  house. 

The  first  regular  services  were  held  on  Sunday,  Decem- 
ber 16,  1894,  in  "Electric  hall,"  conducted  by  Mr.  A.  W. 
Doran  of  the  Western  Theological  seminary.  On  the  evening 
of  December  23rd,  a  memorial  service  for  little  Dorothy  Stan- 
ton was  held,  at  which  the  Rev.  John  Rouse,  of  Trinity 
Church,  Chicago,  preached  a  sermon  on  "Sympathy"  to  quite 
a  large  congregation.  Mr.  Doran  remained  in  charge  until 
the  end  of  January,  1895. 

On  the  fourth  Sunday  after  the  Epiphany,  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Rushton,  general  missionary,  accompanied  by  the  Rev. 
E.  H.  Clarke,  visited  Park  Ridge.  Mr.  Rushton  preached  and 
Mr.  Clarke  celebrated  the  Holy  Eucharist,  the  first  held  in 
Park  Ridge.  The  congregation  numbered  forty-five,  and  six 
persons,  two  being  men,  made  their  communion.  The  Rev. 
E.  H.  Clarke  was  appointed  priest-in-charge  of  the  work.  On 
Septuagesima  Sunday,  February  10,  a  Sunday  school  number- 
ing twenty-three  was  organised.  In  the  afternoon  of  the  same 
day,  the  "Men's  club"  met  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  A.  W. 
Penny  and  drew  up  an  application  to  the  bishop  for  organi- 
sation as  a  mission.  The  Woman's  guild  was  organised  at 
an  early  date.  Beginning  with  the  Lenten  season,  the  weekly 
Eucharist  was  begun  and  continued  during  the  incumbency  of 
the  first  priest-in-charge. 


[107] 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Ochiai,  a  Japanese  student  at  the  Western 
seminary,  took  up  the  work  in  Park  Ridge  after  Mr.  Clarke's 
departure  and  succeeded  in  erecting  the  wooden  building  of 
the  Park  Ridge  Episcopal  mission,  used  until  the  completion 
of  the  present  edifice.  He  had  the  good  fortune  to  have  at  his 
disposal  the  services  of  many  practical  business  men  and  a 
building  committee  headed  by  D.  H.  Martin  found  no  diffi' 
culty  in  raising  some  $800  for  building  purposes.  Mr.  A.  W. 
Penny,  together  with  his  family,  were  not  slow  to  respond,  and 
the  lease  of  a  lot  by  Mr.  Penny  to  the  church  smoothed  away 
the  difficult  question  of  land  purchase. 

Mr.  Ochiai  departed  for  Japan  and  Mr.  Hakes,  then  a 
student  at  the  seminary,  filled  the  vacancy  in  1899.  Soon 
after  his  ordination  he  accepted  a  call  from  Peoria.  An  inter 
regnum  of  some  seven  months  ensued,  during  which  students 
and  visiting  priests  conducted  services.  After  this  the  Rev. 
H.  C.  Stone  was  in  charge  from  January,  1901,  to  January, 
1902.  Mr.  Stone  lived  a  part  of  the  time  in  Norwood  Park, 
being  unable  to  secure  a  suitable  house  in  Park  Ridge. 

In  1906,  the  Rev.  Marcus  J.  Brown,  a  deacon  and  for' 
merly  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  church,  was  appointed  to  the 
charge  of  St.  Mary's  and  also  of  St.  Alban's,  Norwood  Park; 
but  for  lack  of  an  available  house  in  Park  Ridge,  he  lived  in 
Norwood  Park  a  portion  of  the  time.  Mr.  Brown  was  ad' 
vanced  to  the  priesthood  while  at  Park  Ridge.  He  severed 
his  connection  with  the  mission  in  1908.  A  vacancy  ensued 
during  which  time  services  were  held  by  Mr.  William  H.  Sum' 
mers,  the  faithful  lay  reader  of  the  mission.  The  next  incum' 
bent,  the  Reverend  George  Flavel  Danforth,  who  coming  to 
St.  Mary's  as  a  deacon  in  1908,  was  advanced  to  the  priest' 
hood  within  the  year.  Spiritual  and  material  progress  marked 
the  work  of  this  devoted  priest  until  his  sad  death  which 
occurred  in  St.  Luke's  hospital,  Chicago,  on  May  2,  1910, 


[108] 


following  an  operation  which  was  thought  at  the  time  to  be 
of  a  minor  nature.  This  apparently  untimely  death  of  their 
priest  came  as  a  great  shock  to  the  faithful  band  and  again 
the  services  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Summers,  as  lay-reader,  were  called 
into  use. 

The  succeeding  priest'in'charge,  the  Rev.  Chas.  David 
Atwell,  came  from  Michigan.  During  his  incumbency  of  St. 
Mary's  mission,  he  bapti^d  eighty-six  and  presented  fiftysix 
for  confirmation.  He  assumed  charge  on  the  first  Sunday  in 
November,  1910. 

On  the  material  side  the  mission  has  had  a  slow  but  steady 
growth  from  a  very  small  beginning  to  the  splendid  equipment 
of  the  present.  Services  were  at  first  held  in  an  upper  room 
over  the  electric  light  plant,  while  in  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ochiaf s 
time,  a  small  chapel  was  built  upon  a  temporary  foundation 
on  land  loaned  for  the  purpose  by  the  late  Mr.  Arthur  W. 
Penny. 

A  few  years  later  a  lot  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Pros' 
pect  and  Crescent  avenues  was  bought  and  the  little  church 
moved  upon  it,  and  a  basement  built  and  steam  heater  added. 
During  the  time  that  the  Rev.  G.  F.  Danforth  was  in  charge, 
the  present  rectory  was  acquired.  The  rectory  lot  adjoins  the 
church  lot  giving  a  frontage  of  148  feet  on  Prospect  avenue 
and  a  depth  of  172  feet  on  Crescent  avenue. 

Then  the  plans  for  a  new  church  were  agitated. 

The  old  church  was  moved  to  the  rear  of  the  property 
and  was  used  as  a  parish  house,  being  connected  with  the  new 
church  by  a  passage  or  cloister  for  a  choir  entrance. 

The  new  church  is  modern  Gothic  in  style,  having  a 
clerestory,  which  continues  through  and  forms  the  chancel. 
A  transept  opens  from  the  gospel  side  forming  a  Baptistry. 


[  109] 


The  chancel  is  spacious,  being  a  third  of  the  total  length 
of  the  church  in  depth.  From  the  Epistle  side  of  the  chancel 
a  door  leads  to  a  well  appointed  working  sacristy  for  the  ex' 
elusive  use  of  the  Altar  guild;  and  from  the  gospel  side  of  the 
choir  opens  the  organ  chamber  and  also  a  door  leading  into 
the  priests'  sacristy,  which  is  also  well  arranged  for  its  proper 
use. 

The  cornerstone  for  this  new  church  was  laid  in  1913. 

The  Rev.  Charles  D.  Atwell  closed  his  administration  of 
the  affairs  of  the  parish  and  went  to  Nacogdoches,  Texas, 
where  his  work  has  been  most  successful.  He  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  C.  A.  Cummings,  who  served  St.  Mary's  faith' 
fully  for  over  five  years.  During  his  incumbency,  the  financial 
affairs  of  the  parish  were  much  improved  and  a  magnificent 
new  altar  and  reredos  were  presented  by  Miss  Penny  in  mem' 
ory  of  Miss  Mary  A.  Wilson.  Prior  to  Miss  Wilson's  death 
she  had  presented  the  church  with  a  splendid  pipe  organ  in 
memory  of  Mr.  Charles  A.  Penny. 

In  the  summer  of  1921,  the  priest  in  charge  having  ten- 
dered his  resignation  to  the  Bishop,  prior  to  retiring  from 
active  service,  a  meeting  of  all  communicants  of  the  Mission 
was  held  and  it  was  decided  to  organise  a  parish  and  to  become 
entirely  self 'sustaining.  This  was  done.  After  a  careful  can' 
vass  of  the  field  of  available  candidates  for  rectorship,  a  call 
was  extended  to  the  Rev.  Harry  Lee  Smith,  assistant  to  Rev. 
George  Craig  Stewart,  of  St.  Luke's,  Evanston.  Father  Smith 
accepted  the  call  in  the  early  fall  of  1921.  During  the  interim 
before  his  coming,  the  services  were  conducted  by  Father  But' 
ler,  now  of  St.  John's,  Irving  Park. 


[  no 


Under  the  able  leadership  of  Father  Smith,  the  parish 
forged  ahead  by  leaps  and  bounds  and  the  service  was  beauti' 
fied  and  completed  by  the  addition  of  new  vestments,  etc. 

In  March,  1923,  St.  Mary's  church  decided  that  the  time 
had  come  to  build  an  adequate  Parish  house  to  care  for  the 
work  of  this  parish. 

In  October  of  the  same  year  the  cornerstone  was  laid, 
attended  by  impressive  services  and  in  February,  1924,  the 
parish  house  (the  Mary  E.  Wilson  house)  was  formally 
opened.  It  has  been  a  decided  asset  to  the  community,  being 
the  first  adequate  building  of  this  sort.  The  Rev.  Harry  Lee 
Smith  having  accepted  a  charge  at  Grace  church,  Oak  Park. 
The  Rev.  R.  Everett  Carr,  S.  T.  B.,  has  accepted  a  call  to 
St.  Mary's  parish  and  it  is  expected  will  be  in  charge  about 
the  middle  of  November  of  this  year,  1926. 


{  m  1 


SERIOUS  AND  FRIVOLOUS  FACTS 

Miss  Redfield,  a  teacher  in  the  Park  Ridge  school  about 
1881  or  82,  whose  home  was  in  Wheeling,  rode  to  and  from 
school  on  horseback. 

At  the  time  of  the  single  track  railroad  a  train  left  Chi' 
cago  about  3:30  in  the  afternoon  and  was  due  at  Park  Ridge 
around  4  o'clock.  One  snowy  Sunday  a  party  of  people  left 
Chicago,  and  on  account  of  the  drifts  on  the  tracks  instead  of 
arriving  at  4  o'clock  they  arrived  at  Park  Ridge  at  6:30  o'clock 
the  following  morning  (Monday),  although  they  had  two 
engines  on  the  train. 

Mrs.  McNally  came  to  Park  Ridge  about  1880,  when 
the  grocery  boy  came  to  her  back  door  on  her  first  morning  in 
this  little  community  she  ordered  bread.  "Land,  we  don't 
have  bread,  everybody  bakes  their  own,"  answered  the  grocery 
boy.  "Whatever  am  I  going  to  do?"  asked  Mrs.  McNally, 
city  bred  and  very  strange  and  lonely  in  this  community. 

"Well,  I  just  expect  you'll  have  to  make  a  pan  of  bis- 
cuits," advised  the  boy.  And  make  a  pan  of  biscuits  she  did, 
and  although  she  didn't  believe  she  would  live  here  more  than 
a  year,  she  still  is  here,  and  her  daughter  and  granddaughter 
and  great  grandson! 

When  Community  Church  was  being  built  many  who 
could  not  contribute  money  contributed  labor,  and  Mr.  A.  J. 
Whitcomb  and  Mr.  George  Clark  did  much  toward  its  con- 
struction. When  it  came  to  the  pillars  supporting  the  en- 
trance, Mr.  Clark  put  up  the  one  and  Mr.  Whitcomb  the 
other. 


[112] 


COMPETITIVE  DRILL  IN  1902 

PARK  RIDGE  CADETS 

On  the  evening  of  May  18,  1902,  the  parents  and  friends 
of  the  Park  Ridge  Cadets  assembled  to  witness  a  competitive 
drill  of  the  Park  Ridge  Cadets,  held  in  Wannenwetsch  Hall. 

The  judges  were  Percy  B.  Coffin,  Captain  Company  A, 
1st  Regiment,  I.  N.  G.,  and  Colonel  T.  C.  Stanton  of  Chicago, 
a  former  resident  of  Park  Ridge. 

The  first  surprise  was  when  the  smallest  as  well  as  the 
youngest  cadet  won  the  medal.  The  boy  was  none  other 
than  Charles  Lawrence  Stebbings,  now  in  the  employ  of 
the  government  in  Park  Ridge's  new  postoffice.  He  is  the 
son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Geo.  T.  Stebbings  on  Vine  avenue,  resi' 
dents  of  Park  Ridge  for  more  than  forty  years. 

The  second  surprise  was  when  Wm.  E.  Slosson  presented 
commander  Captain  Stanley  H.  Holbrook  with  an  engraved 
sword  —  from  the  citizens  of  Park  Ridge  —  also  an  envelope 
containing  forty  one'dollar  bills. 


[113] 


In  the  troubled  times  of  the  Civil  War,  the  town  respon' 
ded  nobly  to  the  call  for  volunteers.  A  complete  list  of  those 
who  went  to  defend  their  flag  is  not  available;  but  it  is  under' 
stood  to  be  very  large  in  proportion  to  the  sise  of  the  town. 

During  the  world  war  also  was  the  response  great  and  for 
that  period  of  necessity,  the  foremost  thought  of  our  men  and 
women  was  service. 

Our  young  men  went  into  their  country's  service;  many 
of  them  went  to  France — some  made  the  supreme  sacrifice. 
Our  women  carried  on  Red  Cross  and  Belgian  Relief  work 
and  everyone  helped  put  over  the  Liberty  loan. 

It  has  been  since  the  signing  of  the  armistice  that  our 
town  has  nearly  tripled  its  population.  Many  young  people 
waiting  for  settled  conditions  to  bring  their  children  to  a  heal' 
thy  suburb  and  the  congestion  in  Chicago  and  the  deep'rooted 
desire  for  a  real  home  have  been  basic  reasons  for  the  tremen' 
dous  growth  of  Park  Ridge  in  the  last  decade. 

Park  Ridge  is  a  haven  for  those  seeking  better  living  con' 
ditions  for  themselves  and  their  families.  Back  in  the  pioneer 
days  people  came  from  over  the  ocean  to  escape  oppression  and 
seek  content  in  our  fulsome  prairies.  They  came  from  the  east 
to  experience  the  joys — and  hardships  of  a  newly  settled 
country  and  they  are  bringing  their  children  today  to  build  a 
home  away  from  the  smoke  and  turmoil  of  the  large  metropolis. 


[114] 


[115] 


*£r<* 


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